Son of the Spear
by mau'indi
Summary: Nearly 25 years after an alien ship crashed on the moon-world Navarra, a killer returns to terrorize the colonists of the backwater system. Their only hope lies with the lone survivor of that fateful night... and he is not human. (Part I of the Spear Trilogy)
1. The Crash

**Author's Note:**

I'm very excited to present the first chapter of Son of the Spear. A big thanks to The Silent Warrior for taking time out of her busy schedule to beta-read for me. I hope you enjoy the beginning of what will be an epic trilogy featuring forbidden love, blood-soaked horror and tragic revenge. Enjoy!

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**The Crash**

* * *

Flames roared into the night sky, belching thick clouds of smoke and noxious fumes as they fed on the silver fuel leaking from the shattered remains of the vessel. Metal debris and sizzling engine parts lay strewn along the gouge carved by the crashed ship, small fires dotting the charred landscape. The rains were late this year and if the sparks reached the dried plains, the entire valley would be set ablaze. The men stamped out the fires as quickly as they could, saving the water for the larger conflagrations. Dr. Maira Santillo tucked her auburn hair behind her eat and turned her gaze back to the humanoid – what was left of it anyway. The entire spine and skull had been ripped from the male's body with an incredible strength and viciousness that chilled her. She took pictures while her husband Juaqin scraped as many samples as he could from the corpse before Markus decided to drag them away. Even if she wasn't a xenobiologist, this was an incredible discovery. A sentient life form. Five fingers, five toes. An impressive musculature and bone structure. They hadn't been able to scan his internal organs yet, but Maira bet he held a few surprises.

Arturo pulled Juaqin aside, the rancher's teenage son Estevan tagging along to gawk at the remains of the dead alien. Maira listened to the men converse while she bagged the alien's weapons and trinkets attached to his armor. They could study these later.

"What did you find out?" Juaqin wiped the sweat from his brow and neck, his black, wavy hair damp as heat continued to pour from the burning vessel. They were close. Too close in his opinion.

"Not much. I don't see any other tracks except the ones left by that thing." Arturo gestured at the headless corpse. "The sheriff spoke with the docking station but they don't see any unusual activity around this area or in the skies. Whoever killed it is gone."

Juaqin cleaned the dirt and smudges from his glasses. "Whoever? You don't think this was an accident?"

Arturo's grim face darkened. "If you found a man next to a burning ship with his spine ripped out, would you think it's an accident?"

He's right, Juaqin thought. No way the crash could have done this. The body would've been thrown forward, not behind the ship. This thing died after the crash.

Arturo placed a hand on Juaqin's shoulder and leaned in, his gruff voice lowered to almost a whisper. "If I may make an observation, doctor."

"Um, sure."

"On Aurelia, when I would take wealthy men on the trails to hunt exotic animals, they often took trophies, usually the head or the skin."

Juaqin's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying someone took his skull as a trophy?"

Arturo shook his head. "I'm not saying anything doctor."

Before Juaqin could reply the older man walked off, his son trailing behind as he stared up at the burning ship. "Do you think any more are inside Dr. Santillo?"

"I don't know."

"I heard all of the adults talking. Markus is thinking about pulling everyone back in case it explodes. He'd rather let the Planetary Police Force deal with everything."

Maira paused her examination, frowning. What they needed were the scientists from the Tau Sigma IV outpost, not bored outsiders from Derrigan. She tuned out the rest of the conversation and looked over at dark entrance at the rear of the ship. There could be another in there, wounded or hiding. Or perhaps a piece of technology that could advance human technology by a century or more.

Maira slowly rose, waiting for the right moment. When Juaqin and the boy were distracted, she quickly headed for the vessel. Her husband's surprised shout called after her as she entered the open hatch, but she ignored them, slipping on her medi-mask to filter out the smoke and any foreign particles.

The inside of the ship was like an oven. Hot air enfolded her like a thick blanket and sweat beaded across her forehead. She headed for the bridge, hoping for at least a token to bring back with her. Barely a minute inside and her clothes were already clinging to her tan skin. The ship was dark, faint orange lights pulsating within the strangely textured walls. A warm fog swirled around her thighs as she hurriedly moved towards the front of the ship, the sane part of her brain screaming at her that she could be shredded into charred hunks of meat at any second if the ship exploded.

Maira cried out as she stumbled, wincing as the hot floor stung her arms.

A low, chattering rasp made her freeze. She looked around, her eyes widening in disbelief as the fog parted where she had fallen, revealing another one of the creatures. It lay curled up on the floor, Maira's feet laying across it's limp thighs. The alien stared back at her with glazed, half-opened eyes, as if Maira were not really there. Blood dripped from its hideous mandibles and sharp fangs. It groaned again and closed its eyes. Maira's heart nearly leapt into her throat as she scanned the body for wounds. It was a she. And she was pregnant. She could hear shouts closing in and soon several men swarmed around her, cursing in anger at her and then shock when they noticed the female.

Maira jumped up, her mind racing. "Help me get her out of here!"

Juaqin fought his way through. "Maira, what in God's name are you doing?!"

"I found another. A female. She's pregnant and she's dying."

"What?!"

"We need to get her to the med bay now!"

It took four men to carry the female out. Markus was red-faced, but smart enough not to yell at her. She had a patient. No one told her what to do when someone's life was at stake. They loaded the female onto a transport and raced back to the settlement. By the time they arrived, Maira was losing hope their patient would survive. With the driver's help they placed her on an operating slab. Juaqin began administering fluids while Maira kept pressure on the chest wound.

"Is the log on?" she asked.

"Yes." Her husband was feeding the blood samples into the sensors.

They could only apply basic aid until the computers analyzed the blood. The possibility that they may have already introduced a virus or foreign bacteria either to the female or to the colony niggled at the back of her mind. "Two puncture wounds to the chest, all the way through, possibly damaging the lungs and rib cage. The wounds are evenly spaced and suggest a sharp, bladed weapon. Dr. Santillo has inserted an intravenous drip and I am applying pressure to the wound." She looked over to her husband. "What's the status on the fetus?"

He pulled up a hologram from the small, circular monitors he'd attached to the female's stomach. "The fetus is undergoing acute stress and may not be getting enough oxygen. It has not yet oriented itself into the birthing position, which leads me to suspect it is not yet fully developed. That said, it's size and organ development suggest it may be able to survive outside of the womb. There is also some sort of rigid membrane surrounding the fetus and an unidentified growth on its abdomen. There is no sign of a placenta."

Maira placed an oxygen mask between the female's mandibles. Sensors Juaqin had begun placing all over her body indicated she needed more than the average human. She had yet to regain consciousness since they'd found her.

Her husband analyzed the sensor readings as they fed into the computer screens. "Bruising, a broken wrist, fractured ribs, internal bleeding…"

The heart monitor began to shriek as the female's pulse suddenly dropped. CPR and defibrillation was out of the question. Chest compressions would exacerbate the wound and the electrical shocks would kill the baby. Maira cut a hole in her throat, feeding a tube to one of her lungs. The monitor continued to scream, the flat line blaring at her. "Get the adrenaline!"

"That won't help!"

Maira reached for the drawer, but Juaqin stopped her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Stop it! The female is dead. We can save the fetus, but we have to hurry."

She didn't argue, hurriedly prepping for the emergency C-section.

Despite having delivered several babies, her heart hammered inside her chest. She quickly tied her hair back and snapped on her surgical gloves. They didn't have the exotic equipment that the inner systems had. And what they did have was barely enough to get by. Maira picked up a scalpel, pausing as Juaqin's hand grabbed hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. A surgical mask covered his face, but his brown eyes smiled from behind his glasses. "You can do it, honey."

She nodded and took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as she cut a horizontal line just above the pelvic bone. Maira quickly cut through the layers of skin and muscle while Juaqin stood over her shoulder, watching the monitors above for signs of fetal distress. "His heart rate is still high… since he's not directly connected to his mother, the amniotic fluid may hold enough oxygen and blood for him to survive for a little while..." her husband's soft voice was soothing and she used it to focus as she cut through the uterine wall and the gelatinous orange membrane surrounding the infant. It was tough and leathery and Maira had to dig in to get through. Fluid and blood gushed from the final cut and she quickly pulled the infant by its legs through the wide slit.

It— he, she corrected herself— didn't make a sound and this worried her. She handed him to Juaqin, who laid him on a small table and vigorously dried him with a towel. They were rewarded with a weak, raspy warble and flailing limbs.

Juaqin breathed a quick sigh of relief behind his surgical mask, glancing up at his wife as she tossed her gloves into the trash and reached for a new pair. He glanced back down at the newborn, the last few hours suddenly washing over him, the exhilaration of saving the infant quickly replaced with a grim determination.

Small, stubby mandibles flexed around its wide, toothless mouth as its cries grew steadily stronger — a good sign. He quickly examined the hands and feet for any discoloration, fascinated by the tiny claws already developing. Juaqin slipped on his stethoscope, his eyes widening as he listened to the infant's rapid heartbeats. He remembered this was being recorded. "Hands and feet are slightly blue, pulse… relatively strong, although there appears to be a second heart so I'm unsure of the normal range." He gently tugged on the infant's arms and legs. "Reflexes appear normal. Skin color varies. As you can see, the stomach and chest are a pale yellow, while the arms, legs and face are a mix of tawny brown and dark green. Will check for signs of jaundice… respiration appears weak. It seems the atmosphere is breathable, but he may not be getting enough oxygen." He placed an oxygen mask over the squalling male's mouth and monitored his lungs. They needed to figure out exactly what ratio of gases the alien infant needed or his lungs would collapse.

He gave it a generous score of five. On the Apgar scale the number represented a cause for concern but considering how much the infant had been through and yet still managed to turn out this healthy was cause for hope, however slight.

Juaqin glanced over at Maira again. She was concentrating on the dead mother, drawing milk and tissue samples from the female's swollen breasts. It was just like her, to think one step ahead and see another's needs beyond simply aid. Breathing was just the first step in the long, perilous road to keeping the infant alive and healthy. He would need food, and based on the size of the male they'd found at the crash site — he was easily over two meters tall — he would need a lot. Soon.

Because they lived in ranching settlement with many young families and couples, they'd been granted an incubator. Juaqin place the tiny, whimpering infant inside and sealed it shut, hoping the heat would soothe him to sleep while they figured out what to do next.

The doctors quickly scanned the female's body then bagged and wheeled her to the nearby mortuary for storage. The body would be frozen and preserved for further study. Right now they didn't have time for a thorough and prolonged examination and they needed to step back and assess the mountain of data they'd already collected. On top of that, they need to figure out appropriate nutritional alternatives. If they didn't find them soon, the baby would starve to death.

**\\'/**

Maira's forehead scrunched in worry as she considered the possibility that foreign contaminants may have been introduced into Eladoro. She would need to scan everyone who'd come in contact with the aliens and the ship and vaccinate the infant as soon as possible.

"Maira?" her husband's voice pulled her back to the present. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She rubbed her puffy eyes and tired face, glancing at her data slate to see what time it was. It was dawn on Navarra, but the Terran cycle indicated that a full Earth day had come and gone. Either way she'd been up a long time. Terran Standard Time, or TST, was the 24-hour day/night cycle that every human in the galaxy followed, no matter what world a person inhabited. Navarra's synchronous orbit around the gas giant Nephele lasted about 44 hours. For almost 22 hours, the moon was plunged into complete darkness except for the light reflected off Navarra's sister moons. The side the settlement lived on was able to enjoy direct sunlight, while the other half of the planet, still largely unexplored, was lit only by the sun's light reflected off Nephele.

"I'm just tired."

"You want to sleep?"

She shook her head. "We need to find the formula. Human milk might sustain him but we can't risk exposing him yet. There appear to be several key elements missing from bottle formula—"

"Okay, okay," he said, gently cutting her off. "I know. We've gone over it several times."

He noticed her watching the sleeping infant inside the incubator. The black masses on the sides of his head had dried to form distinct, rubbery black tubes a couple centimeters long. Unlike its mother, who possessed a short crest across the top of her forehead, the infant was bald with a long sloping forehead and flat face, a physical indicator of gender perhaps. A complex mouth and throat structure allowed it to smell while it breathed.

"If we don't find something soon…" she looked at him, her light brown eyes pinched with anxiety. Wispy strands of auburn brown hair had escaped her hastily created bun. He reached over and gently looped them behind her ear. "Don't worry. We'll figure something out."

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder for a moment. When she sat up she had a puzzled look on her face.

"What?"

"He needs a name. We can't just keep calling him 'infant.'"

Juaqin frowned. For all intents and purposes, they had just become parents. He'd seen the way Maira looked at the baby and how determined she was to find food for him. They'd been trying for their own children for three years now. Despite his wife's dedication to science, there was no way she would hand him over to a lab to be poked and prodded. Anxiety tightened his chest. He was a dad. To an alien. If everything hadn't felt so real he'd swear it was a bizarre dream.

"Um, I'm not very good with names, so…"

"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to get to know his personality before we decide," Maira said as she turned back to her computer screens.

His comm beeped and Juaqin saw that it was from Markus. He was the unofficial town leader, nominated and sworn in during the drunken celebration of the first year anniversary of the colony. The original mayor had left the day before without a word and returned to his desk job on Regulus. Nobody missed him. He stood and walked a few steps away. "This is Dr. Santillo."

_"Doc, we got a problem."_

"What do you mean?"

_"The ship, the body… they're gone."_

**\\'/**

Juaqin slipped into the hallway and sealed the door shut behind him. "What do you mean they're gone?"

Markus' gruff voice was laced with frustration. _"As in they-vanished-into-thin-air gone. After you left, we pulled back to the ridge, debating whether or not to call the PPF and then all of the sudden, there's white noise and an explosion."_

"An explosion!?"

_"It's worse than it sounds. It was sorta like an explosion of light or electricity. Everyone felt a strange tingling go through their body right before it happened. When the dizziness wore off and we could see again, there was nothing left but a charred hole."_

"Is anyone hurt?"

_"No. I ordered everyone to go home. I'm not taking any chances. The sheriff wants to contact the PPF but we're not sure what to tell them… Doc… Doc? You there?"_

Juaqin ran his hand through his hair, his mind racing. "Yeah, yeah…"

_"What's wrong?"_

"I need to ask you a favor."

_"What happened?"_ Markus' voice took on a hard edge. Some people saw that as a sign of anger. Eladorans knew it meant he was being protective. The man had a temper but he was just and his leadership had seen them through some rough times.

"Don't call the police."

_"What? Why?"_

Even though he knew Maira couldn't hear him, his voice dropped to a whisper. "I need you and everyone else to keep quiet about the aliens we found."

He heard Markus inhale sharply. _"You mean Maira saved the other one?"_

"No, just the baby. The female's wounds were too severe."

Markus quietly cursed. _"Why not let the scientists take it? Maira's always complaining about her outdated equipment. You could trade it for—"_

"No. There's no telling what the outpost or Nebular Enterprises will do with the infant. Besides, with the way my wife is looking at it there's no way she'll give it up without a fight."

_"Christ, sounds like Anna."_

Juaqin smiled. Markus' wife had once fought off a black-eyed panther when it had attacked one of their young children. People said Anna's punches were the reason why the panther's eyes were black. It wasn't true, but it was fun to tell. Juaqin waited for Markus' decision, strangely anxious.

A long sigh of defeat sounded from his comm. _"Alright… I'll tell everyone to say it was a human ship or meteor or something and keep their mouth shut about the rest. You owe me big time, Juaqin."_

"I know. Thanks, Markus."

_"We'll be in touch. I hope you two know what you're getting into."_

Juaqin signed off and leaned against the wall, rubbing a hand through his hair. _So do I._

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**Author's Note:**

And there you have it, folks. Thanks so much for reading and let me know what you thought in the comments! If you would like to learn more about the world of Navarra, please visit my profile page. I'll be adding updates about the story and the moon-world over the next several weeks. Also feel free to message me any questions you may have.


	2. There Are No Monsters

**Author's Note: **Please leave a review!

P.S. 'Butte' is pronounced 'byuute.'

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**There Are No Monsters**

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25 years later…

Agent Sung Lee set down his coffee, the curling steam tinged emerald by the numerous holo-screens dotting the walls. The bitter brew sunk into his stomach, warming him. He laced his fingers together, assessing the shadowed faces of his colleagues as they took in the disturbing news. It was only a rumor, but the higher ups weren't taking any chances.

He glanced down at his tablet, studying the large moon covered in white clouds, blue seas and green continents. It, along with several other large moons, orbited a stunning gas giant with swirling blue bands. The moon was a natural world, as opposed to terraformed planets, and was of priceless value to its investors. He hoped the rumor remained only a rumor.

God help them if it turned out to be true…

**\\'/**

Gabriel slowly crept up the cliff side, the warm wind whipping his black tendrils and tugging at his faded beige cargo pants as it whistled across the dry plains below, gaining strength as the sun rose higher in the blue-green sky. The orange and white stone was cool beneath his fingertips as he pulled himself up, every muscle straining with each grasp and push, the ever present danger of slipping and falling hundreds of feet to his death lurking in the background of his mind. Cool sweat slowly trickled down the back of his neck and chest, slowly soaking his sleeveless leather vest. It gently flapped in the wind as he hitched himself onto a small ledge, pausing to slow his breathing and listen to the hissing warbles of his quarry.

Kite snakes, or kite dragons, lived above the plains and desert hills, preferring the dusky purple mountain cliffs to the south and creamsicle-striped mesas of the Whistling Plains. They burrowed into the stone and dirt, laying their eggs once a year. When the hatchlings were strong enough, they were forced from the nest. They would spread their bright red flaps of skin into wide arrows and glide on the thermals to another nesting ground. Those too weak or afraid died by smashing into the ground below. An adult kite snake that fell to the ground and couldn't find a gust strong enough to lift it was an easy meal for the many predators that roamed the plains.

Gabriel had arrived in the early nesting period. Most of the females would have laid their eggs by now. They would guard and care for them, the males occasionally lending a hand. Biologists theorized this sharing of nesting responsibilities was a leftover instinct from the kite snake's bird-like ancestors.

The key word Gabriel cared about was 'occasionally.' The males were incredibly lazy creatures, preferring to sunbathe with the females rather than warm the eggs. It was mid-morning and he was counting on the kite snakes' need to warm to buy him some time.

He peeked over the edge. No movement. Gabriel quietly hoisted himself onto the larger ledge, hundreds of holes burrowed into the curved walls of the top of the mesa. His infrared sight allowed him to discern which holes were currently unguarded. He squinted into each one, reaching in and grabbing a few eggs if neither parent was present. These exotic eggs would fetch a good price, especially with the name 'dragon' attached to them.

When his pack was full, he secured the bundle to his back and slowly began the climb back down. The view was spectacular, but he didn't want to wait around and mess with a brood of angry kite snakes. The two-meter long creatures jealously guarded their eggs and would try to knock him off the ledge with their enormous wingspans and sharp teeth if they could.

His comm squawked and Gabriel slipped, his claws instinctively latching onto his handholds. He hung there for a few moments, his two hearts hammering against his ribcage.

_"Hey Gabriel! You alive?"_

He could practically hear Jeremy grinning on the other end. "Sonuvabitch," he muttered as he pulled himself against the stone. He slowly reached for his comm and clipped it to the front of his vest. "What?" he snapped.

_"Morning sunshine."_

"You almost got me killed," Gabriel growled, slowly inching his way down the cliff side and hoping the kite snakes stayed in their burrows.

_"Nah, you're too ugly to die."_

Gabriel huffed and continued his descent, slightly alarmed by the hissing cries above.

_"Anyway, I got a favor to ask you."_

"Figures."

_"There've been some disappearances of some of my family's best heads. Think you could track 'em down?"_

He didn't immediately answer, concentrating on the invisible path he'd mapped out on his way up. Gingerly, he tested potential footholds. When he returned to Eladoro to see his parents he'd ask about getting a new pair of boots. These were wearing out and they were his last pair. Another chew toy for Jonesy. "What happened to their implants?"

_"Can't get a signal. And the trail's dead. Sensors can't pick up anything and the dogs can't smell nothin'. 'Cept Old Blue. Refuses to go back out there for some reason. I think he's gettin' senile."_

Gabriel grunted, arms burning. He was slowly edging towards the halfway point. The hissing had faded. The kite snakes had smelled his scent in their burrows, but as long as he wasn't coming back for seconds they were content.

_"Come on. You're the best tracker other than Estevan."_

"So ask him."

_"Shut up, Gabriel. You know he'll shoot me if I go near his place."_

"Maybe 'cause you slept with his daughter?"

_"Come on, I'm not the only guy she's done it with."_

"Yeah, but you're the only idiot to get caught," he clicked as he looked around for a better hand hold. It was getting hotter, but Gabriel didn't mind. It only made him feel more energized. His tendrils, deflated to release heat easier, whipping in the wind as a hot gust from the south rushed over the plains. The golden fields that stretched to the horizon bowed and rippled. Hangmen trees dotted the rolling hills, their empty seed pods that dangled from their twisted limbs clattering like dry bones.

_"So can you do it?"_

"What're you offering?"

_"Drinks at the Outlaw Hideout?"_

Gabriel rumbled, thinking. The bastard knew he couldn't resist going to that place. Given the excuse, he went there whenever he ventured into the settlement. Hell, he made up excuses to go there. "There a limit?"

_"If you find out what happened to the zarok, no limit. But Gabriel… try to go easy on my wallet."_

"No promises."

_"Screw you."_

"See you at midday?"

_"Sounds good."_

Gabriel shut off the comm and clipped it back onto his belt. He easily clambered down the rest of the mesa, its sides gradually sloping outward. Securing the eggs in a side compartment, he hopped onto his hovercycle and sped off towards Jeremy's ranch.

**\\'/**

The Whistling Plains stretched out before him, a herd of red antelope-like creatures bleating as they caught sight of his hovercycle and bounced out of his way. The small craft hummed as it streaked over the high grass, past the grand mesas and uwanu trees, the pale sentinels' smooth branches rising above the earth, silent guardians that had been here long before humanity had cast its first telescopes towards the planet. Galicia and Aragon hung low in the sky, the emerald sphere and icy orb slowly rising above the plains, their sister moons Andalusia and Murcia hidden from sight.

Gabriel zipped past a blue painted totem, the head of a wolf carved onto the top. Its eyes glowed with a faint red light from the sensors embedded inside them. He was in the Wan's territory now. Through his goggles he spied one of their zarok herds to the south, the brown and black striped creatures grazing contentedly. The people of Eladoro maintained the belief that free range stock made the best meat, but Morgan Wan, Jeremy's father, was keeping them unusually close to home. Gabriel wondered just how many heads the family had lost as he approached the white- and orange-splotched butte rising over the plains.

Nebular Enterprises, the company that had funded the settlers' journey, had adopted a policy of low impact living. All Eladorans lived in buttes, carving out their homes room by room at the base of the massive rock formations. Totems were set up around each family's territory to denote feeding grounds and monitor their livestock's movements. The only exceptions made were the shelters for tagging zarok and tending to sick or injured animals. Although carving out homes and businesses into solid rock was a tedious and tiresome process, no one complained when tornado season approached.

Gabriel slowed his hovercycle to a leisurely pace, a smile pulling his top mandibles back slightly as the excited shouts of Wan girls reached his keen ears. Other than his parents, these people were the only other family he had. The hovercycle kicked up dust as he brought it to a halt and set it down. He rubbed his eyes after he removed the goggles, blinking away the harsh light of the midday sun. Three little girls ran towards him, happily chattering and asking him a dozen questions as they encircled his vehicle. Gabriel slipped off his bike and crouched so he was at eye level, letting the twins Seneca and Aurora braid his dreadlocks while Paria showed him her loose tooth and told him about the missing zarok.

"Uncle Gabriel, are you going with Jeremy to find our zarok?"

He nodded.

She looked around then leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know what I think?"

"What?" he clicked quietly.

"I think that the monsters in the Red Labyrinth ate them."

He chuckled, a deep rumble rolling up from his chest as he stood, the six-year-old twins whining that they weren't done yet and he was ruining his pretty braids. One shake and his tendrils split apart. Gabriel looked down at the slightly older Paria, completely dwarfed yet unafraid. There were some men in the settlement who couldn't even claim an ounce of her bravery. He patted her head and said, "There are no monsters."

He strode off, catching sight of Jeremy as he rode up on his golden-scaled lonma, a horse-like reptile with a long tail, spiked elbows and clawed hoof-paws. Its sharp eyes, fiery spirit and ability to run long distances were greatly prized by the Eladorans. A breeding program had been quickly established by the first settlers, the tamest lonma submitted to the scientists at Tau Sigma IV. After several generations and genetic tampering, a docile population of lonma was created to serve humanity. Bonding with humans began at birth to ensure domestication. The settlement had learned that lesson early after a man was killed and eaten by his poorly trained lonma.

Jeremy hopped off his mount, securing it to a post before facing him. Smiling came as easy to his friend as riding or hunting did for Gabriel. Sweat matted his wild, black hair and dripped down his tan face and neck. He was an amalgam of ethnicities and only an anthropologist would be able to determine how much of what he had inherited, his slanted eyes the only indicator of his Asian ancestry on his father's side. Jeremy flashed him a smile and they clasped hands, pulling each other into a quick half-hug. As soon as they broke away, Gabriel punched him in the shoulder. Hard, but not too hard.

"Ow! Jeez man, it's not my fault you left your comm on." He rubbed his shoulder, still smiling even as he winced.

"You knew I was climbing today."

"Maybe…"

His own smile tugged at his mandibles, but he tried to keep his face as serious as possible.

"Jeremy." They both looked up to see Mariana, hands on her hips as she looked down at them from the top of the steps leading into the Wan house. She had the same wild, black hair as her brother but carried more of her mother's Argentine and Brazilian heritage with her light skin and angular features. Mariana was all curves and Gabriel couldn't help but stare at her exposed leg wrapped in tight leggings, the other limb hidden by a split riding skirt. "Are you going to invite him inside? Mama made roast karrow and she wants him to eat first."

Jeremy sighed. "Yeah, okay, can say hi first?"

Mariana rolled her eyes and went back inside. Jeremy punched him in the shoulder. "Quit looking at my little sister like that. I have to worry about every guy in Eladoro going after her. Do I have to add you to the list?"

Gabriel shrugged and headed towards the house.

"I've got six sisters to worry about, alright," he continued, lowering his voice as they drew near the door. "Eden's turning 16 soon and I am going crazy trying to keep her away from all those Neanderthals that want to…"

Jeremy went quiet as soon as his mother appeared from the kitchen. She was a thin woman with a kind smile and infinite patience. Despite the tired lines stretching from the corners of her eyes and mouth she still retained a measure of her youthful beauty, her wavy ash brown hair wrapped into a loose bun. The youngest, Shilin, clung to her skirt and hid her face. She was the only one in the family afraid of him and he kept his distance.

The house smelled of spices and meat and Gabriel breathed deeply, the familiar smells comforting. There was however, a new smell. Or smells, he should say.

Paria, Seneca and Aurora burst through the door, four tiny barking fur balls bouncing after them. "We have puppies!" yelled the twins excitedly. Small wet noses brushed against his boots as the black puppies took in this unexpected and unique scent. Pink wet tongues licked his hands, no doubt catching the scents of his hovercycle and the kite snake eggs. "You want one, Gabriel?" asked Paria. "Papa says we can only keep one." He didn't say anything as his hand gently wrestled one of the pups that had starting tugging on his pants.

The next hour was full of food, laughter and conversation, although Gabriel noted Mr. Wan was quieter than usual. At an unseen signal that only came after more than twenty years of marriage, Ms. Wan hustled all of her daughters into the kitchen, leaving the men to discuss the problem of the missing livestock. He'd noticed Mariana's displeasure at being left out of the discussion, but she didn't say a word as she left to help with the chores.

"Thank you for helping us, Gabriel," said Mr. Wan.

Gabriel nodded.

Mr. Wan cleared his throat and rubbed his hands over his worn jeans. Touches of gray and white ran along his temples, his face weathered and tan, the slanted eyes he'd inherited from his ancestors giving his features a wizened look. "As Jeremy might have told you, both our sensors and our dogs have failed to determine what happened to our zarok."

"I didn't give him the details," Jeremy quickly said.

His father nodded in acknowledgement before returning his attention to Gabriel. "Totem sensors indicated that the zarok crossed our northern boundary two days ago. We rode after them that evening, but had to call off the search before nightfall. The next morning we followed their tracks since the tracking devices were unable to pick up their tags. The dogs lost their scent in the flatlands around the Red Labyrinth."

"Jeremy said Old Blue refused to track."

"He's old and his sense of smell is starting to dull," Mr. Wan explained. He gestured towards his son. "Jeremy will take you to where the trail ends. Hopefully, you will be able to determine what happened to them."

Gabriel nodded. "I see well at night. I will track them as long as it takes." He quickly raised a hand to cut off the elder Wan. "Your son has already promised payment and I agreed to it."

Mr. Wan looked at his son. "Very well."

Jeremy and Gabriel set out immediately, both taking a lonma. It was easier to track by mount, plus the animals would alert them of any dangers hidden in the shrubs and high grasses.

Ixion's rays beat down on the rocky hills, heat whipping off the orange dirt like pale fire. Gabriel's heat sensitive eyes caught the crouched form of a black-eyed cougar watching them from beneath a cluster of heavy shrubs. They normally roamed the dusky mountains and forests to the south and north. He watched it watching them for a moment, before returning his attention to the trail Jeremy was leading him on. A gust of wind blew from the south behind him and he paused, reining in his eager lonma. He inhaled slowly, Jeremy noticing his absence a few seconds later. He turned and trotted back beside him. "What? What do you smell?"

Gabriel rumbled and looked back the way they had come. "Someone's following us."

They waited, the only sound the rushing of wind over the grass and the cries of distant birds. Jeremy was about to suggest they move on when another rider appeared around the hillside. He groaned. "Dad's gonna kill her."

Mariana quickly caught up to them, her tight-set face daring them to tell her to go back.

Jeremy snorted. "You had to wear a cowboy hat?"

"We're ranchers Jeremy. Honestly, you're the vainest guy in Eladoro."

"Hats flatten my hair."

"Whatever."

Gabriel tolerated their bickering, taking the lead so as not to get dragged in and have to pick a side. The two, barely a year apart, were closer than most siblings. Mariana though had an independent streak that often got her trouble. Gabriel had noticed an increasing tension between her and her father. Jeremy was the only son and even though it was the family ranch, the ranch would go to him. The Wans fully expected their eldest daughter to get married soon. But Mariana, Gabriel knew, was all about business. Ranching was in her blood and she could haggle with the best. Most of the men in the settlement were intimidated by her and he couldn't see her settling down anytime soon.

"Gabriel, don't listen to her!"

His attention snapped back to the present and he glanced back at the two, a smug smile curving across Mariana's face. The look of annoyed desperation on his friend's face was amusing and he locked eyes with his sister, waiting expectantly.

"Do you know Jeremy's real name?"

Jeremy muttered a threat under his breath, giving her a dirty look. Gabriel trilled softly.

"His name is—"

"Lalalalalalala! He can't hear youuu!" Jeremy blurted, leaning over to cover her mouth.

Mariana pulled her mount away, laughing. "His name's Barringer!"

His friend groaned in frustration. "You traitor! You promised you'd never tell anyone."

"You made fun of my hat," she said, lifting her chin and closing her eyes, a quiet 'hmph' escaping her throat as she trotted past him. Her smirk as she drew near Gabriel told him it was all in jest.

Gabriel chuckled. It actually made sense. All the other Wan girls were named after natural wonders found on Earth, their parents caught up in the trend of naming children after people, objects or places from the homeworld. Jeremy had once told him about the time he'd met a talented ship's cook of French ancestry named Eiffel, ironically nicknamed by his shipmates Awful Joe. "Barringer, huh?" he clicked, looking back at Jeremy's sour face.

"You're both assholes. You know that, right?"

They rode through the morning, falling into a comfortable silence after arguing and joking for about an hour. Gabriel became increasingly focused on the trail, Jeremy pointing out the deep hoof marks the zarok made after a pack of foxwolves had attacked. The large predators had been successful in their hunt, isolating a member of the herd and bringing it down not far outside of the boundary outlined by the totems. The carcass had been dragged away, but Gabriel wasn't interested in the slain zarok. The foxwolves had earned their kill.

Jeremy led him to where they'd lost the trail, the ground flat and rocky. Not even the dogs had found anything in the area. Gabriel hopped off his lonma and handed the reins to his friend, crouching as he studied the ground. "How many are you missing?" he rumbled.

"Three minus the one killed by the foxwolves."

His brow furrowed as he studied the tufts of crushed grass and chipped rock, the zaroks' scent all but gone. He traced the flattened grass with his fingertips, huffing as he scanned the horizon. The grass hadn't been nibbled on and a hoof stepping on it wouldn't leave that kind of mark.

"What?" Mariana asked.

"One of the zarok fell, but I'm not sure why." He remained crouched, weighing their options. "Take me beyond the dogs' search area."

"That's close to the Red Labyrinth," Jeremy said, his face tensing in anxiety.

Gabriel grunted and hopped back on his lonma, heading northwest towards the fanged rocks of the red-colored maze. The ominous rock formation jutted high into the air, its crimson fangs rising over the dusty landscape. Fifteen years ago a couple of tourists and an Eladoran guide had once ventured inside of it. When they didn't return, the old sheriff and his deputy had gone looking for them the next day. No one ever saw them again either and to this day no one went near it. The Red Labyrinth was infused with metals that disrupted all electronic equipment, creating a dead zone around it for several kilometers. And if that weren't enough to create tales of a minotaurian monster roaming within its twisted depths, even the animals steered clear of it.

Gabriel left his lonma with Jeremy and Mariana. Although the sun was high, it was nearing midnight in Terran time and the Wan siblings were becoming drowsy. He left them to set up camp and get some sleep while he tracked throughout the long afternoon. He preferred hunting alone. Sometimes he didn't even know what he was looking for when he went out every few months. Even if he didn't catch anything, he found a singular thrill in the chase and the challenge of stalking. Out in the wilderness he could let his mind go blank, relying only on his senses, the silence refreshing.

Navarra's sister moons and a few wispy clouds slowly traveled across the clear aqua sky. Eladorans never saw the planet Nephele, their side of the moon forever facing the stars.

By sunset he'd given up. Mile after mile he'd searched for any sign of zarok. The only thing he'd found was frustration. He didn't lose trails often and his failure ate at him. It was an annoyingly intriguing puzzle. The only rational explanation he could think of was that someone was stealing the zarok. But who? And why? He ran over a list of possible enemies, if there was such a thing in Eladoro.

He found Jeremy by himself, asleep. Mariana and her lonma were nowhere in sight. Gabriel settled himself on the ground, crossing his legs and watching for any sign of his friend's sister. As the land began to cool beneath the violet sky, she rode in from the hills from the east, the lonma and her glowing orange against the darkened plains. The two lonma left at the camp also watched the pair approach, warbling and stomping in excitement. This woke up Jeremy, who lightly sprung to his feet, his hand on his holster. Gabriel was somewhat impressed at how quickly he reacted.

"Chh, it's just Mariana," he grumbled, turning to the lonma to try and calm them. Lonma possessed a pseudopack mentality, accepting the company of close kin and relatives. Strange lonma however, were not tolerated unless it was the breeding season. When the two recognized the other creature they settled down, barking in greeting.

Mariana dismounted, the circles under her eyes telling Gabriel she hadn't slept much. "You find anything?"

Gabriel shook his head.

Jeremy sighed and sat on large, flat rock. "I went west for a while. Nothing."

The three of them sat in silence for a minute, the realization that the zarok might never be found hard to swallow. Gabriel broke the silence. "Jeremy, does your family have a problem with any of the other ranchers?"

"What? No. Everyone likes my father."

Mariana nodded her head in agreement.

"What about you?"

His friend's eyes narrowed. "What about me?"

"You've gotten into some arguments with the Young brothers in the past. And there's Estevan Parra." He'd butchered the last sentence. Gabriel swallowed to try and ease the burning ache in his throat. Damn b's and p's.

"The young brothers and I are fine. They stay on their side of Eladoro and I stay on mine and when we're in town we nod and move on."

"And the Parra family?" He caught of whiff of anger from Jeremy.

"Look, I know he's mad at me but Estevan wouldn't steal our cattle."

"Hold on," interrupted Mariana. "What's this about the Parra family? Jeremy what did you do?"

Jeremy remained tight lipped. She looked to Gabriel who looked at Jeremy. His friend sighed in frustration. "Fine! Jeez, I… I slept with Reina… and her dad caught us."

Mariana rolled her eyes. "Oh my God."

He folded his arms.

His sister rose and began packing her bedroll, muttering about the stupidity of men. Her pack secured she turned to face him, arms crossed. "Whether or not he stole the zarok, you have to go and apologize to Mr. Parra—"

"What?!"

"And whatever you do, do not accuse him of stealing."

"Have either of you considered that it might have been pirates? They could have slipped passed the sensors." Jeremy directed his theory to Gabriel, trying to avoid Mariana's line of discussion.

"There would be signs of landing and boot prints if that were true," rumbled Gabriel as he stood. "Your father should report it to the Sheriff Brady and have him warn the other ranchers. Maybe they're missing livestock as well."

Jeremy grumbled and began packing up his bedroll while Mariana watered her lonma. Gabriel slipped on his rebreather, his lungs strained from the day's exertions. They rode back to the Wan ranch, the mood of the group tense and disheartened. Very little was said and no one looked forward to telling Morgan Wan that they had failed to find anything useful.


	3. Goddess of the Hunt

**Author's Note: **A big thank you to Drizzt for the kind reviews.

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**Goddess of the Hunt**

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Gabriel woke up to smell of steaming vegetables and frying zarok, the hiss of meat sizzling as it hit a hot skillet enough to rouse him from his half-slumber. He growled and stretched, wiping the saliva from his face and onto his pillow where he'd left a decent-sized drool spot. He dragged a pair of light brown cargo pants from the floor, a sleeveless black turtleneck slowly following. He sat on the edge of the bed, hungry, but not quite ready to move. The jingle of tags sounded from the hallway and he looked up expectantly. A pudgy chocolate lab poked its head around the corner, the ends of its muzzle speckled white. It looked at him with big amber eyes, a pink tongue lolling from its mouth. Gabriel gave two quick clicks and the dog waddled happily into his room, tail wagging as he licked and slobbered all over his hands.

"Hey, Jonesy," he rumbled, softly scratching behind his short, floppy ears. At the sound of his name Jonesy's tail wagged faster, Gabriel's garbled accent unnoticeable to the happy canine.

Sufficiently awakened, Gabriel shuffled into the kitchen, Jonesy happily leading the way. He found his dad busy stirring, flipping and spicing, humming a made up tune. He wore the pink frilly apron his mom had gotten him as a joke a few years ago. He'd accepted it in good humor and used it to occasionally embarrass her and Gabriel.

He settled into a chair, the wood creaking ominously under his weight. As Jonesy laid down on his foot he thought back to yesterday. Mr. Wan had not been pleased when Gabriel had told him he could find no trace of the zarok and the likelihood that someone had stolen them. He had not berated Mariana for tagging along with them but neither had he acknowledged his daughter. Gabriel had wanted to defend Mariana but it had not been his place and he'd never known Morgan Wan to be harsh.

He'd decided to finish his two-day leave by crashing at his parents' place in the main settlement. He'd slept through an entire Terran day, his father now prepping dinner. Everyone would start going to sleep a couple hours after midnight and would wake up sometime before the Navarran dawn.

"Oh, Jesus!"

Gabriel looked up to see his dad clutching his chest, chuckling in relief. "Gabriel, you need to stop being so quiet."

Gabriel smiled.

"Juaqin? Juaqin, did you burn yourself again?" his mother called from the laundry room. His dad just smiled and shook his head as he stirred in some salt and pepper to the vegetable stew.

"Juaqin— Gabriel!" his mother grinned and rushed over to him, hugging him and kissing him on his forehead. "How did you sleep?" she asked as she stepped back, looking him over. As a both a doctor and a mother, she had a way of seeing what was wrong with him even if he thought he was fine. The annoyance he'd felt at all of her probing questions during his teen years had worn away after he'd matured and moved to Ferguson's ranch. He understood why she worried. He hadn't been the easiest kid to raise.

"Slept hard."

"I'm surprise you're awake."

Gabriel shrugged. "Musta been dad's cooking."

"Your son about gave this old man a heart attack," his dad reminded everyone as he turned around and wiped his hands with a dishrag. His mom gave him an obliging sympathy kiss. Gabriel pretended to be grossed out, followed by a rumbling whine for food, Jonesy joining in.

After dinner, his mother pulled him aside into the clinic attached to their home, Gabriel stooping through the narrow passage carved into the orange stone. He hoisted himself on the cold metal examination table, patiently waiting for another check-up in the seemingly endless series of tests that had begun since the moment he was born.

Maira couldn't believe how fast he'd grown as she checked his breathing and blood pressure. The first few weeks of his life he'd had to fight starvation, her and Juaqin unable to find the correct nutrients to give him until they'd had a breakthrough. Lonma gave birth to live young and nursed them for several months. Like Gabriel, they were a strange fusion of reptile and mammal. He'd quickly taken to their milk. Within a couple of weeks, he'd grown fat, happy and loud.

She took a blood sample, feeding it to the computer, asking him basic questions while it processed the fluid. "How's your breathing been?"

"Fine," he rasped, wincing.

"Do you need any more medicine for your inhaler?" Despite her son's impressive physique and stamina, he'd always had problems breathing and Navarra's atmosphere, while nearly perfect for humans, exacerbated his condition to the point where Gabriel occasionally passed out if he didn't use a specially modified rebreather.

He shook his head.

"You've talked a lot the last few days?"

He nodded, rubbing his throat.

"Just give me basic answers in hand speak, okay?" she said, handing him one of several rebreathers they kept in stock for him.

He rumbled in acknowledgement and slipped it on, the mask sealing shut with a high-pitched hiss.

While they waited and she asked him questions, she had a sneaking suspicion that the blood test would reveal what she'd feared and suspected for the past couple of months. Despite Gabriel's generally relaxed attitude, there'd been a couple incidences she'd caught wind of while in town or talking to patients. The computer pinged, the results scrolling over her datapad. Maira's brow furrowed as she examined his hormone levels. "Gabriel, have you had trouble sleeping?"

He didn't look her in the eye, waving his hand in a so-so motion.

"Gabriel," she said, her tone carrying a harder edge to it. "I have the results right here. I know you don't want to admit that it's happening again, but this is something that you have to deal with. And if you won't talk to me or your father then you need to find someone you can trust."

Her son clicked, agitated, reaching for the glass slate. She gave it to him, wondering how bad it would be this time.

Ever since he'd begun to sexually mature at around 15 Terran years, he'd experience short bursts of increased aggression. Those periods had eventually stabilized as he entered into adulthood and his teenage hormones had slowly worn away. Her husband had theorized that the males of Gabriel's species may experience a rutting season. After a particularly disturbing incident in which Gabriel, barely 17, had knocked a grown man unconscious after he'd been shoved, she'd had to explain to Sheriff Brady not only her son's increased strength but his hormonal changes. Charges were dropped since Korwin Young had instigated the fight, but the bad blood between her son and that family had never really gone away.

Working on Isaak Ferguson's ranch helped channel his restlessness in more productive ways and kept him out of further trouble, although for reasons she could only speculate upon, Gabriel continued to come to Eladoro on an almost monthly basis and could be found drinking at the Outlaw Hideout. Despite her Catholic heritage, she did not approve of alcohol. She was probably the only adult Catholic that preferred grape juice to wine for light years. A chronically drunk father that only came around when he wanted something from her mother did not particularly inspire an open mind towards drinking, despite Juaqin's assurances that he made an excellent Cosmic Swirl.

Maira watched her son take in the results, sensing his frustration but unable to help him. She'd thought she'd prepared herself when he'd been young, but it was still painful to watch her son relive the knowledge that he could never be with others like himself, who understood and could help him understand what he was experiencing. He'd managed to make a few friends and even found a purpose amongst the people of Eladoro, but…

As Maira studied her son she had a feeling it wasn't enough for him.

He handed her back the datapad, gripped the edges of the surgical slab and said nothing.

She set it aside and gently peeled off the sensors she placed over his chest. "Hopefully now that you're fully grown you'll have more control. But if you have any problems, any kind at all, you can tell me and your father. We understand what you're feeling."

He growled in disagreement.

"Alright, not exactly how you feel, but most people experience strong sexual urges at some point in their life."

"Most people," he rumbled, a hard, raspy edge to his voice. "You mean humans."

"No one's forbidden you from—"

"They don't have to," he hissed. He tried to say more but all that came out was a harsh rattle and he gripped his throat in pain.

Maira grabbed a bottle of honey, gin and molasses from one of the metal cupboards. His hormone levels might be elevated but she knew the resentment her son carried ran deeper than the purely physical. It was an unspoken rule. Should Gabriel ever break that rule… then she'd lose him, either to the end of a shotgun, scientific corporation or government agency. She wondered if he'd been born with a more human face if he'd have been tolerated better.

He accepted the bottle and removed his mask for a moment, slowly gulping it down. The sweet, syrupy remedy numbed and soothed his throat. He'd talked too much the last couple days. If he didn't want laryngitis again, he'd need to stay silent for a while. Gabriel watched his mother after he handed her the empty glass. She was worried, obviously. He knew she was trying to help. He also knew she knew there was nothing she could do.

The Gabriel of 10 years ago wouldn't have understood. He'd hated his parents for saving him, hated the Eladorans for being afraid of him, and hated his breathing and speaking problems. But more than anything, he'd hated himself. He'd once destroyed every mirror in the house, the taunts of several older children ringing through his head. _Squidhead. Pussyface. Monster._

Gabriel couldn't count the number of times he'd run away, sometimes disappearing into the wilds for days at a time, scavenging and roaring his frustration into the wind. Out there, amongst the predators and storms and endless horizon, he'd felt free to be himself.

But he couldn't outrun his demons forever and eventually they'd caught up to him one drunken, stormy night on the edge of town… Gabriel quickly buried the unpleasant memory. Not even his parents knew about what he'd almost done that night and he never wanted them to. He'd put them through enough. They deserved better kids. Their own kids. But without millions of credits that wasn't going to happen. His mom always said God sent him here because He knew she'd never be able to have children of her own. That's why she'd named him Gabriel.

When his mother turned around, he had two choices: he could either be growly and pissy, or he could suck it up, hug his mom and rub one off when he got back to the ranch. Gabriel stood and hugged his mom, her familiar maternal scent comforting for a brief moment. A quick hug for his dad and a belly rub for Jonesy and he set out, grabbing his pack he'd dropped at the door after stumbling in around sunset.

He ignored the stares as he descended the stone steps leading to the wide dirt street below, his hovercycle parked to the side. The locks to the storage compartments hugging the rear of his vehicle snapped open as he inspected the insides to make sure the eggs were still fresh, wisps of cold air escaping. Gabriel decided to stop by the trade manager's house before he left the settlement for the ranch. The trade ships were due in a couple weeks and he needed to cut a deal with Ephrim Chandler before he had to disappear until the outsiders were gone.

**\\'/**

Across the eastern ocean, a sleek aircraft slowly wound its way through the Magnesian Mountains, the teal leaves of the mossy tanum trees tinged mauve and blush orange along the highest peaks, the first sign that autumn was about to begin. Crystal falls poured from the base of the mountains into the deep canyon below, the river feeding the verdant Pelion Valley to the south. The craft descended as the high mountains gave way to rolling hills and thick forests, banking sharply towards a clearing. The high grasses rippled and bowed as the ship came to a quiet landing beside another craft already parked, the thrusters hissing hot air as they fought to keep the craft aloft. As soon as the landing gear touched the earth, the engines cut off, the silence of the forest enveloping the meadow.

The ship's doors whirred as they slid open, Parak Bakshi slowly lowering himself down into the tall grass, muttering in exasperation as he checked his surroundings and tightened the straps of his backpack. Tai Xu followed, nimbly climbing down and bouncing away from the craft, a leather satchel strapped across her chest. She pushed her bangs out her eye, the stubborn strands of hair falling right back into place as she looked around, her long, ebony braid whipping behind her. "Ready?" she asked, a hand on her cocked hip as she watched Parak clean his glasses. He grunted, grabbing his floppy khaki fishing hat and slipping it on his partially bald head, his white hair peeking out from the sides. "Ms. Xu, a scientist is always ready," he replied in his lilting English accent.

"Good. Then I'd better not hear any complaints."

Parak watched the short young woman march straight for the shaded path disappearing into the forest, her steps confident and quick. He sighed, hitching his pack and following after, his knees and shoulders already complaining. "I just don't see why they couldn't have sent someone younger or the police. I'm a geologist for goodness sake…"

Tai ignored her companion's grousing. It had actually been Parak who'd insisted on checking on their colleagues. It had almost been one Terran week since anyone had heard from them.

The director had said it was probably a communicator malfunction. All they had to do was drop off the new equipment stored in Parak's pack. Tai had wanted to roll her eyes, but as the youngest and newest researcher to set foot on Navarra she was only allowed to nod and give her professional opinion when asked. Which was rarely. She had a mountain of research, anecdotal accounts and data to organize, but Director Hamilton hadn't even bothered to ask if she was too busy to drop everything and go wandering in the woods for a few hours.

She looked back, watching Parak huff and puff his way up the hill, glad he couldn't hear her selfish thoughts. Parak was worried. Javeed may not have followed protocol to the letter while on expeditions in the field, he'd said, but his friend would still always call. And Diana was meticulous in her notes and documentation.

She liked Javeed and Diana and hoped they were okay. But her being sent here was political. She was barely 32 and related to one of Nebular Enterprises' directors. It didn't matter that she had the qualifications – to some people she was an inexperienced freeloader.

An insect buzzed around her head and she swatted it away. She needed to concentrate. Tai squeezed her eyes shut for three seconds, popping them open and blinking rapidly as colors and data streamed across her vision. Temperature, altitude, cardinal directions and a yellow line leading through the trees emerged, several tabs falling into place on the left side of her vision. Burrows tended to blend in with their environments since they were built underground. She'd once walked right past an entrance and hadn't realized her mistake until one of her colleagues had called out to her. Nature had never really been her focus. People were what interested her. She was the only anthropologist on the entire planet. She often went to study the blossoming cultures centered around Derrigan and Eladoro, as well as, unbeknownst to her fellow researchers, Tau Sigma IV.

After a half klick, the pair found the research burrow nestled at the base of a large hill. From there, several paths led to various campsites. Diana and Javeed had ventured out to the furthest site – over two klicks away – to study the hibernation habits of several large mammal-like species. They'd been out there for at least two Terran weeks.

Tai was about to approach the scanner when one of Parak's leathery hands stopped her. "Ms. Xu, I think it better if I go first. "

She smiled. "You don't think pirates are going to jump out do you?" she teased.

"No dear girl. Pirates are only interested in money. I'm worried about slavers," he said grim faced as he approached the door.

Her smile fell away as she recalled the tales of slavers raiding distant settlements and the crowded urban streets ruled by gang lords of the inner worlds. Because of the distance between systems and exploding human population, slavery was becoming harder and harder to stamp out.

Lasers scanned Parak's tan face, the door hissing open. Tai followed him inside when he gave the all clear. The interior lights flickered on and an A.I. greeted them. They checked all the rooms, Tai noting that nothing had been disturbed as she fingered some of Diana's notes about the anatomy of yellow-gilled fish. She found Parak in the common area, stroking his white beard and mustache. "It doesn't make sense…" he mused.

"Hm?" Tai asked.

"Even if the mobile communicator was broken, they could still come here or use the ship to contact Tau Sigma."

She had no answer for him and they left the burrow in silence, Parak taking the lead as they headed down the trail to Javeed and Diana's last known location. The trees soon became tall and thick, their branches entangling to form bridge-like masses. The matted knots of wood and leaves left the world in a grey twilight, golden pricks of light sprinkling the earth, mushrooms huddling up around the gnarled roots splayed along the barren ground. Tai shivered as the temperature dropped, her eyes darting to the distant shadows, any one of which could hide a dire cat. She switched to infrared, scanning behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. The dark forest slowly gave way, the rushing roar of the Pelion River a welcomed sound after the eerie silence of the Tangled Forest.

Tangle trees had created a natural bridge over the water and Tai was amazed at how solid and sturdy their roots felt beneath her feet. She stopped to look down at the water, roiling and gushing as it washed over large boulders and driftwood. Farther down, a red-striped ikuda with spiraling horns watched her from the edge of the sandy river bank, his ears and long-haired tail twitching as it sniffed the air. The creature flinched and darted into the woods at the sound of Parak's cry and Tai jerked around in time to see him stumble back, shouting something in Hindi. Her feet pounded the bridge as she ran towards him, nearly tripping as she grappled for the stun gun on her belt. _I need to get a real gun,_ she thought as she closed in on the geologist. "Parak! Parak, what's wrong?!"

The old geologist was trembling from head to toe and refused to answer or look at her, his terrified eyes locked on something. She glanced around the outpost, searching for what he'd seen. Then she saw the body.

Shock ripped through her and she jerked her eyes away, her hand clamped over her mouth as she began to retch. Tai took several deep breaths and turned back around, slowly approaching what was left of Dr. Diana Polouektov.

Insects hummed and swirled around the body and bloody pile of internal organs lying on the ground beneath it. The glistening red corpse was hung at the edge of the camp, a silver chain running from her ankles to a tree limb above. Not a shred of skin was left. Insects had burrowed into her soft decaying flesh, slithering under her muscles and crawling from her eye sockets into her gaping jaws. The putrid smell was nauseating. Numbly, Tai recorded the scene with her eye lenses.

The kill was fresh. There were dozens of pre-mortem lacerations on the body's arms and legs. Diana had been tortured and bled before she was killed.

A cold fear began to grip Tai as she listened to Parak call out for Javeed, his voice echoing throughout the forest. They needed to get away. Now. Her hands shook as she pulled out her comm, desperately trying to patch into the Tau Sigma network, the image of Diana's maggot-filled eyes staring at her stuck in her head._ Come on, come on. Work!_ No signal.

_Shit._ This was not good. Tai looked around for her companion. They needed his pack to call Tau Sigma. The forest was strangely quiet and she suddenly realized she couldn't hear him anymore. "Parak?" she called out. "Parak?!"

She took a step towards the woods, and then glanced back at Diana's corpse. A mark that had been carved into her sternum stood out from the other cuts, the cluster of slashes reminding her of a mangled kanji character. Whether they were the mad scribblings of a deranged murderer or a warning, Tai didn't care at this point. Something had killed Diana and Javeed and maybe even Parak. Something evil.

She fumbled for her back-up data carrier, pulling out a crystal dragon. Her eyes flickered as if she were dreaming, the world forgotten as she concentrated on moving the video file to the data drive in her trembling hand. The crystalline figure flared blue when the transfer was complete.

Tai didn't wait for Parak to show up. He had a comm. If he was lost, he could call for help. The gloom of the Tangled Forest closed in around her, the woods eerily bereft of bird song. She hurried forward, her heart thundering in her chest. Through the gloom she saw something flash in the darkness and she slowed, squinting.

Tai never felt the silver-bladed shuriken rip through her throat and spinal column, the crystal dragon falling from her hand as her body and head thudded to the ground. From the darkness, a hulking shadow emerged, its eyes flashing yellow before it disappeared.

The next day, the planetary police searched for the four missing scientists. After three days, the search was called off, authorities blaming a large pack of foxwolves that roamed the area as the most likely culprits. Despite protests from Tau Sigma IV, the pack was hunted down and killed.

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**Author's Note:** Dun dun duuun. And so it begins. Let me know what you think in the comment box below!


	4. The Outlaw Hideout

**Author's Note: **R & R please! Let me know what you like, don't like or are confused by. Thanks to Zacas and pinknose1 for the reviews and to Creator of Hybrids and dragonrider347 for favoriting/following.

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**The Outlaw Hideout**

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Four days later…

It was mid-morning when Gabriel woke up pissed off and sore. On Earth it was 6 am TST. God only knew what time it was on the planet his species evolved on. His parents had estimated he needed a couple extra hours of sleep compared to humans, but that rarely happened now that he was an adult. Throw in two other time zones and he was the grumpiest person alive until he'd had some coffee.

After downing two large mugs, he went straight to work, mucking out the lonma stalls and feeding and grooming the mounts. He checked on the herd, pulling up the holo-screen from his data pad. The lead bulls' sensor tags marked the herd on the western side of the Ferguson's' territory as they grazed their way to the boulder studded hills to rest in the shade until sundown. One of the sensor totems was malfunctioning and that would need taking care of first. He sent a short message to Isaak, the ranch owner, grabbed some dried meat and a canteen of water and headed back to the stables, relieved he would be away for the rest of the day. The Fergusons were good to him and their young son Luke was a smart kid. He'd worked several seasons for them, often for less than what most other hands made, but money didn't matter that much to him. They trusted him and treated him with respect and that was enough. The less he was around them right now, the less chance there was he would lose his temper.

Rasha stamped and crowed as he approached with reins and saddle in hand, her crest and throat flaring red in excitement. They had only gone riding once since he'd returned from leave and his lonma was restless. Gabriel led her out into the fenced-off exercise yard to let her stretch and warm her muscles before they headed out. She pranced and snorted, kicking her head up in excitement, returning to him after barely trotting a lap around the yard. He growled softly as she gently nipped at his tendrils. She warbled back but did not pester him, sensing he was not in a playful mood today. He strapped on the reins and saddle, quickly hoisting himself up onto her back and guiding her south. "Hiyup!" he barked. Rasha bolted forward, kicking up dust as they sped over the grassy hills.

By the time they reached the totem the yellow sun was high in the sky, fast-moving clouds casting long shadows as a cool breeze whistled across the plains. Heat bled from the earth and danced above the golden grass, the white rabbit totem a dark silhouette against the warm sky. Gabriel hopped off Rasha and grabbed his gear, flipping open the small door at the base of the totem to run a diagnostic check. He kept an eye on his lonma, a small herd of brown-striped antelopes grazing in the distance below the hill, tempting her to drift away. He chirped, making sure she understood he expected her to stay nearby. She turned her long neck to look back at him, then snorted and began sniffing for a snack amongst the high grasses, pouncing with her powerful fore claws as she chased a small rodent. After an hour of fiddling with wires and cooling fans, Gabriel huffed and finished up the repairs, the white rabbit's eyes glowing red when he flipped the switch and shut the access port.

"Rasha," he growled, impatient to check on the herd. She'd wandered farther than he liked and he chirped, the herd's sentinels intently watching the pair from below. She flared her crest and stamped her foot, prancing just out of reach when he tried to grab her reins. He growled again, a deep, guttural rasp that he only used when dealing with stubborn animals. This time she came, albeit with a pout to her gait, nipping him as he climbed onto her for good measure. He gave her a piece of dried meat to placate her, which seemed to work as she took off eagerly for the zarok herd.

Gabriel moved through them, feeding medicine to those that were sick and checking on a couple calves that had been born late in the breeding season. The lead bulls tolerated his presence because of Rasha, although the herd grew nervous if she drew near any calves. Gabriel followed them at a close distance, the sun beginning to set as the herd began to settle in for the long night. When he was satisfied with the status of the zarok, Gabriel moved on to patrolling the edges of the herd, widening his range until Gabriel had nearly lost sight of the sleeping animals, the zarok warm orange dots twinkling on the hillside. His gaze swept the rolling hills, searching for any sign of predators. The pale light of two crescent moons cast the plains in a ghostly twilight as they traveled across the Milky Way, the bright band gleaming with the light of countless stars, meteorites sparking across the dark sky. Gabriel glanced up at the black-burgundy sky, red, white and orange stars glittering across the depths of space. Gabriel growled and looked back down at the ground. He didn't like to look at the stars. They were a painful reminder of what he was… and what he was not.

The night passed without incident and for a moment he forgot about the irrational anger that burned inside him.

_"Yo, Gabriel!"_ His comm squawked, shattering night's serenity and startling Rasha who'd been fast asleep.

Gabriel slumped his shoulders, groaning and rubbing his eyes. "God dammit," he muttered as Jeremy chattered on. He'd been about to fall asleep too.

_"Heyyy! I know you're there… ignoring me."_ The radio went silent for a few seconds and he half-hoped his friend had gotten the message that he wanted to be left alone. _"Well, alright… I mean, I was gonna pay you back for trying to help us find our zarok. I'm heading to the Outlaw Hideout right now for a few drinks, but if you don't want to come that's fi—"_

"Jeremy." Gabriel hated himself.

_"Yesss?"_

It hurt to say the words. "What time do you want to meet?"

_"Thirty-five hundred IST?"_

"Fine," he growled. He could practically see the grin on his friend's face.

Rasha growled, annoyed at the loud interruption. "I'll punch him in the face, just for you girl," he said, patting the side of her long neck. She couldn't understand any of it, but it made him feel better to say it out loud. He dropped her off at the stables, cleaned and fed her, then headed for his hovercycle.

"Gabriel." He looked up to see Luke, the Ferguson's only son, bound over to him, a trio of dogs bouncing along behind him. He was covered in dirt and smelled of grass and mischief. Gabriel grunted, checking his hovercycle's engine. Something hadn't sounded right on his way back from Eladoro. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Dad said I could stay up late tonight 'cause of how good I did all my chores today. The chickens laid a lot of eggs," he said, grinning. He noticed Gabriel fixing his bike. "You leavin' again?"

"Outlaw Hideout. Not long."

"Can I come with you?"

He huffed. "No. Too young."

Luke made a face, but he didn't whine. Instead he jumped into the seat of the hovercycle and rested his arms on the dashboard, watching Gabriel run a diagnostic check. "Something wrong with your bike?"

"Don't know." Gabriel's throat was starting to hurt again and this irritated him more than it usually did. He liked spending time with Luke and answering his questions, but not today. Today he wanted to bark at him to be quiet and let him think. But he didn't, letting Luke prattle on about the new garden bot he'd created from scraps to help his mom. Gabriel was starting to get a headache when his salvation arrived.

"Luke! Bedtime."

He looked up to see Naomi Ferguson approaching the two of them, Luke whining that he wasn't tired. Mid-thirties and ranch life had added a few wrinkles to her freckled face, but her green eyes still sparkled, at least according to Mr. Ferguson. She still carried a hint of her Scottish accent, mixed with a space-born dialect unique to her family line. "Luke, quit botherin' Gabriel and go wash yerself off. Ya've more dirt on ya than a potato." Luke and the dogs scampered inside and she turned her maternal sights on Gabriel. "Where ya offta so late?"

"The Hideout."

"Alright then. Stay clear of the Young brothers though. They've been shakin' up the town lately."

He nodded. He avoided the three brothers at all costs, since encounters either led to fights or him being forced to leave before he clocked one of them in the jaw.

Naomi rubbed her stomach, her eyes pinching with worry. Gabriel squinted at the unusually warm bulge protruding beneath her long shirt.

"Somethin' the matter?"

He took a few steps forward, gesturing at her stomach and rumbling.

Naomi looked down, smiled and patted her belly. "Ah, I see ya noticed the newest addition to the family."

Gabriel trilled and cocked his head. Naomi and Isaak had been trying for years to have another child. "Congrats."

"Thank ya. Be safe now."

When the ranch owner's wife was safe inside he finished the repairs and took off for Eladoro, suddenly eager to get to the bar. This was probably his last chance to visit the settlement before outsiders started trickling in to trade.

Other than Founding Day, the trade month was the most important time of the year. Zarok, pottery, furs and other exotic items from Navarra were traded for money, gear, equipment, medicine and more. He, of course, had to stay clear of the settlement, which usually meant a three-week long hunting trip. Although he would've liked to have been a part of the festivities, he often looked forward to his excursions, especially now since he felt like fighting just about everyone who came near him.

His mother had often asked why he went so often to the Outlaw Hideout. He usually brushed off the questions and said something along the lines about how good their beer was. He sometimes wondered if she already knew the real reason and was waiting for him to admit it.

He weaved around spindly twist trees and massive boulders, keeping close to the river as he headed north, the warmth of the settlement glowing a soft orange in the cool violet air as he drew closer. The glowing bodies of settlers moving about the town stood in sharp contrast to the burgundy stone and indigo trees dotting the landscape. Gabriel slowed as he neared the edge of the settlement, the Outlaw Hideout carved into the larger of two buttes and surrounded by a thick grove of trees. Behind it rose the massive docking station, the landing platforms on top of the mesa large enough to hold two cargo cruisers. Gabriel brought his hovercycle to a full stop and gently rested it on the ground next to Jeremy's, locking it with this thumb print before heading in.

Several heads turned when he entered, but all of them quickly returned to their drinks and conversations, his appearance not that unusual. Most were focused on the small darts competition going on in the corner, a cheer going up as Nova hit another bull's eye. He took it as a good sign that the sheriff's daughter was here. Hopefully, the night would end as peacefully as it had begun.

Gabriel found Jeremy at their usual spot and slid into the curved booth, his bulk taking up almost half of the red padded semi-circle. Jeremy sipped some blue rum, sliding the rest of the bottle towards him. Gabriel grabbed the bottle and down several mouthfuls, the sharp, tangy liquid sending a small shiver through him. Damn. He got the good stuff.

They'd once tested his alcohol tolerance, the entire bar tossing bets on how much he could drink before he threw up or passed out. He didn't remember any of it, but two people had gotten it right. Jeremy, of course, and — Gabriel's gaze swept the warmly lit bar until he found her serving some platters across the room — Rin. Heat flared inside his chest and over his arms, his length hardening until it pressed uncomfortably against the front of his pants. He shifted slightly until he felt somewhat comfortable and took another swig of the rum, suddenly regretting his decision to come here. But no, you just had to see her one more time, didn't you Gabriel? he thought to himself as he snuck glances her way, noticing how her tight pants hugged her wide hips and perfectly round buttocks. Even when he wasn't looking at her, he knew exactly where she was in the bar at all times. He took note of who gave her subtle once overs and those who took a second look. He told himself he was simply looking out for her as a friend, the lie getting a little bit harder to swallow each time he told himself that. Maybe at one point that had been true.

Rin was the first person he'd befriended as a child. Actually, she'd been the first child he'd ever met, his world consisting of a small network of protective adults until he was about six, his mother constantly worrying about him being exposed to harmful bacteria and viruses. They'd met by accident, the memory one of his favorites…

Gabriel's bare feet pattered over the cold, sterile floor of the med bay, huffing in frustration. He'd looked everywhere. The living room, the bathroom, he'd even _cleaned_ his bedroom. But he still couldn't find it. It was his favorite toy and his dad didn't seem to care. All he'd said was check the last place he remembered seeing it while staring at his holo-screen and reading boring medical stuff. A robot that could transform into a fighter craft and shoot red lasers was way more interesting in his opinion. He jumped down the steps and headed straight for the back closet, wondering if his mom had been cleaning and put it in storage. He pressed his hand against the door sensor, but it wouldn't open, flashing red instead. Gabriel mandibles scrunched in frustration and he let out a small growl, heading back into the hallway to search the exam rooms. He poked his head in the first one. Nothing. He growled again and headed to the next one. He opened the door, freezing when he saw a small girl sitting in the exam chair, playing with something. Her back was turned and as he stared at her he realized she had his robot. Gabriel hesitated, angry at her for taking his toy without permission and afraid she would see him. Suddenly, she straightened and started sniffing. Curious, Gabriel took a small sniff as well. He didn't smell anything, other than the acidic cleansers his parents used to sterilize everything. He hated that smell.

The girl turned and looked straight at him. Her eyes widened and she gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock. Gabriel bolted, fear knifing through him. He ran into his mom as she was walking down the hall and he grabbed onto her legs, burying his face into her white coat.

"Gabriel! What in the world?" His mom cried out, grabbing the wall for support as she wobbled from the force of his hug. He mewled and just clung tighter. He'd done something wrong, he just knew it. Suddenly the little girl was there, hugging the robot against her chest. He heard his mom sigh. "Gabriel, it's alright." Still, he didn't let go. The girl was staring at him now and had his toy. He was suddenly angry again, but too embarrassed to let go of his mother's leg. "Rin, this is my son, Gabriel. Gabriel, this is Rin Harris. Her daddy owns the new bar near where the ships dock."

He glanced at her, his stubby dreadlocks shielding part of his face. She didn't say anything. Instead, she held out the toy in front of her, just far enough away that he had to let go of his mom in order to get it. His gaze flicked back and forth between the robot and her for a few seconds. He quickly grabbed it and ducked behind his mother again, clutching his toy securely against his t-shirt. When he peeked around her legs, she started gesturing with her hands, some of the movements familiar.

"Yes, he looks… different, but he's usually very sweet." His mom's hand patted him on the head and he looked up at her, her warm smile reassuring him that everything was okay. "Gabriel, Rin says she's sorry for taking your toy."

Gabriel watched the girl carefully, suddenly curious. He had to use hand speak sometimes because talking hurt his throat. He was better at it than his parents because they made him watch videos and play games, but he always grew bored since there was no one else to sign with.

"Come on, Rin. Let's finish your check-up so you can get back to school," said his mom, guiding the small girl back into the exam room.

Gabriel stood in the doorway, watching his mom listen to her heart and check her ears. "Mama, why does she talk with her hands?" he rasped.

"Because Rin is deaf. She can't hear."

"Are you fixing her?"

She shook her head. "She was born like this. Maybe on one of the inner systems she could be helped, but out here…"

Gabriel rumbled and took another sip, the bottle nearly gone. After that day, they'd eventually become inseparable, learning how to sign, swimming in the river and creeks, and playing space pirates together. He missed those days, back before he grew up and realized he wanted to be more than friends. I shouldn't have kissed her, he rumbled to himself, downing the rest of the bottle.

Rin had decided she wanted to play Sleeping Beauty and Gabriel had to fight the evil dragon made of thorn bushes and save her before the timer ran out and she fell asleep forever. He'd fought his way through, hacking and slashing at the tall briars and earning some decent scratches before he made it through to where Rin lay, eyes closed and perfectly still. And that's when he, genius that he was, realized he had no idea how to kiss her. He'd stared at her, looked around to make sure no one could see them and then knelt down, his stomach tying itself into nervous knots. He'd felt like throwing up as he leaned over her and backed off, his throat suddenly dry and tight. When he'd finally built up enough courage, he just went for it, wrapping his mandibles around her cheeks and pressing his jaws onto her soft lips. Of course, he'd kissed her too hard. She'd been startled, but hadn't been upset at him. He'd saved her from the dragon after all. Her upper lip was swollen for a few days afterwards, but she'd lied to her mom, telling her it was a cold sore. He'd apologized and they'd moved on, but Gabriel had never been able to look at her the same way again.

He watched her take orders, using her ability to read lips to take down what people wanted. She smiled and walked back to the kitchen, coming back out with several waters and hot tea. His mind went blank as he watched her hips sashay while her long, black hair shimmered in the hazy bar light.

"…riel. Earth to Gabriel."

He snapped back to reality, grunting. "What?"

Jeremy sighed. "You need to quit staring so much or everyone else will figure it out," he said, taking another sip.

"Figure out what?"

Jeremy raised an eyebrow at him, but Gabriel ignored him, closely examining his empty bottle.

"That you like Rin."

Gabriel glared at his friend and growled.

His friend smirked and pressed the order button in the center of the table before Gabriel could stop him. Horror gripped him as he watched small holo-pad attached to Rin's hip buzz and light up as she cleared a table. He rounded on Jeremy, hissing, "What the hell did you do that for?!"

"So you can say 'hi'. She's the reason you're here after all."

"I came for the free drinks," Gabriel growled.

Jeremy chuckled before taking another swig. "Sure you did."

Gabriel felt his stomach start tying itself in knots. He shouldn't be anywhere near here. He could actually smell the female pheromones wafting through the air, the faint perfume driving him crazy as his body responded to each individual's scent. Rin's scent hit him right before she got to their table and he nearly flinched in pain as a throbbing fire filled his groin. She smiled at Jeremy then turned to him and he felt every muscle go stiff as she leaned over and hugged him, her large, soft breasts pressing against his chest. He managed a stiff half-hug, his skin tingling from where she'd touched him as she pulled away.

_Hey! How have you been?_ Rin flashed him a smile, folding her hands to let him know she was done signing. Gabriel felt his hearts beat a little faster. She was the only person who could make them do that. His thoughts tripped over each other as his brain tried to remember how to form a coherent sentence, his hands suddenly paralyzed. Jeremy kicked him in the shin under the table and he blurted the first thing he could think of. _You look nice._

She smiled again. He wanted to kill himself. Jeremy kicked him again and Gabriel shot him a nasty sideways glance before continuing. _I'm fine. Jeremy's buying drinks tonight._

She glanced at Jeremy before replying. _Did he lose a bet again?_

"Come on, Rin, I know you're talking about me. And the answer is 'no' to whatever it is you guys are secretly conversing about."

It was Gabriel's turn to smile, his friend suddenly miffed now that the tables had been turned on him. _Actually, he's repaying me for helping him look for a few missing zarok. Me, him and Mariana went searching last week but I couldn't find any sign of what happened to them._

Rin turned serious and her gestures became sharper and more animated. _I've heard rumors of people missing cattle. Markus is missing one of his best bulls._

Gabriel perked up at the news, focusing on the conversation rather than her breasts, her v-neck shirt teasing him with brief glimpses of cleavage. _Where was it last seen?_

_Near the eastern edge of his territory, three days ago. The chip suddenly stopped working. Markus and his sons rode out but they never found anything._

Gabriel clicked thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing. Markus was the largest landowner in the settlement and resided north of the town. His eastern border touched the Red Labyrinth. The Wans were just south of the landmark and their cattle had gone missing after passing over their northern border. _What else have you heard?_

Before she could reply, her holo-pad started buzzing and flashing. Rin sighed and glanced back at her father who ran the bar, the big, dark-skinned man giving her a no-nonsense look before tossing a towel over his shoulder and grabbing a pint to fill. When she turned around, Gabriel's gaze fell to her neck. That way he could stare at her breasts while appearing to be looking her in the eye. God only knew what women would do if they found out about that trick.

_I have to go. Do you two want anything?_ She made her hand into a cup and made a drinking motion so Jeremy could understand. They ordered and she quickly hurried over to her dad who was waiting with several drinks, the two having a quick, silent argument mostly consisting of tossed up hands and rolling eyes.

Gabriel chuckled. Harris was good man and had managed to raise Rin on his own after his wife had walked out. He carried a limp from his war days, his right leg shredded enough to get him sent home but not enough to have it amputated and given a bionic replacement. He ran a clean bar and didn't tolerate smoking or fights. Nobody argued with him about it since it was the only place to get a drink, unless you managed to either make your own or buy from a trader. Out on the frontier alcohol was a luxury. Sometimes Harris got the good stuff and sometimes it tasted like shit. Didn't really matter, so long as you had a drink in your hand and friends to enjoy it with.

Rin gave them their drinks, winking at the two of them before hurrying off to serve someone else. Gabriel forced himself not to look, instead downing his entire glass of straight bourbon, the strong, sour liquid burning his throat and warming his belly. He slammed the top of his drink on the table, warbling as fire filled his veins. Jeremy gulped down his Black Velvet, sighing in pleasure when he came back up for air. "You know what, screw it," he said, raising his glass in the air. "Let's get drunk!"

They were five shots in when a dark breeze blew in three shadowy figures. As the door slid shut, Gabriel let out a low, raspy hiss. Jeremy peered around him, his slurs morphing into a mumbled curse and he ducked back out of sight. "Shit, it's the Young brothers!" he whispered loudly. Gabriel didn't look, instead pouring himself another shot. He might be drunk but he wasn't stupid drunk. If he could just keep Jeremy quiet then they might be able to get out unscathed. Officer Brady had been seeing him too much lately and the last thing he wanted was to spend a night in jail.

The brothers sauntered into the bar, grabbing a table at the center of the room and propping up their feet like they owned the place. Korwin, the oldest, slapped the table button, not even bothering to look at the holo-menus. Gabriel watched them from the corner of his eye as Rin approached, silently waiting to take their order. Korwin gave her a dark smile as his eyes slithered over her body. "Surprise us," was all he said.

Harris was watching the newcomers closely, frowning when his daughter tried to explain what they wanted. They kept Rin running back and forth for the next hour, giving Gabriel plenty of time to sober up. Jeremy meanwhile had gotten bored of the stakeout and gone over to flirt with a group of girls, too drunk to remember that he had a reputation as a philanderer that denied him access to the more intelligent females of his species. As the ale flowed, the brothers started becoming more boisterous. Gabriel's sharp eyesight picked up what his incredibly sensitive hearing could not as he watched and listened.

"'Nother fuckin' zarok stolen," slurred Dallas, the youngest of the trio. Gabriel could smell his stringy blonde hair from across the room. All three smelled of grease and ozone. The brothers were ranch hands and mechanics and were very good at their job. It was the only reason they were tolerated.

"From who?" asked Korwin. He took his time with his drinks, his dark brown hair neat and slicked back, his black cowboy hat resting on the table.

"The Holbrooks," spoke up John, the quiet one of the group and the only one not drinking. Bastard had pulled a knife on him one time. "Markus and his sons searched for two days. Couldn't find a trace."

Dallas dismissed him with a sputter of his lips. "'Betcha they lost 'em."

Korwin chuckled and took another sip.

"Hey! Hey bar girl!" called Dallas, waving around his empty glass. When he finally remembered that she couldn't hear him, he slapped the button, muttering something under his breath. Korwin laughed.

Gabriel watched Rin roll her eyes when she saw who was calling for her on her holo-pad and she hopped down from the bar stool, leaving her friend Nova with her drink. The bar crowd had begun to thin out, making it easier for Gabriel to hear what the Young brothers were saying. Rin marched up to their table, putting on her best face for the sake of business as she approached them. Dallas demanded another round, making sure she saw the empty glass in his hand. She grabbed her pad and began tapping it with fingers, the table's center button lighting up and projecting several food and beverage items.

"Water? Water?!" Dallas slurred in outrage. "Do I look like a fucking lonma?!" Korwin snickered at the scene, slapping the table as his younger brother struggled to understand why he couldn't have any more alcohol. John just grimaced and looked away.

When Rin pointed at his options and kept insisting that it was water and food or nothing, Dallas' face began to flush red. He suddenly grabbed her outstretched arm and jerked her towards him, yelling loudly. "Hey bar bitch! I. Want. A. Fucking. Beer—"

Gabriel grabbed him by his scruffy hair and slammed his face into table, the wood groaning as it cracked. Rin yelped and stumbled back, Nova jumping down from her stool and quickly making her way to her friend. The entire bar erupted into hoots and catcalls, watching as Gabriel drug Dallas off the table and threw him aside, chairs crashing as he crumbled to the floor. Gabriel roared at the other two brothers, daring them to go for their guns. Hot blood pumped through his veins, the hazy bar suddenly bright as day. His mandibles flexed as he let out a long, low growl, the rank odors of tension and excitement filling the room only fueling his fury.

A voice cut through the mayhem. "Nobody move!"

Every eye flicked over to Harris standing behind the bar, a lasrifle tucked against his shoulder and aimed right at Korwin's head, a small, red dot dancing across the back of his skull. "Hands off your guns!"

The two older brothers complied, shooting Gabriel nasty looks as they raised their hands into the air.

"Now I'm only gonna say this once. You got 30 seconds to get your brother off my floor and outta my bar before I fry your asses."

The two brothers slowly moved away, hoisting their whimpering brother onto their shoulders as they slunk out without a word, the bar slowly buzzing back to life as soon as they were gone.

Gabriel was still wound tight from the encounter and he stared at the blood stained crack he created with Dallas' face, wishing he could've thrashed all of them. Jeremy suddenly stumbled next to him, staring at the table in awe. "Damn… I ain't never seen them guys look so scared in their entire lives. Didn't even see you move. Everyone sayin' you looked like a blur."

Gabriel ignored his friend, watching Nova pull Rin into the back for some privacy.

Harris motioned for Gabriel to step forward, laying his rifle down across the bar top as he approached. The war veteran gave him a long, hard stare, his dark gaze intensified by the jagged scars crisscrossing his coffee-brown face. "I ought to kick you out of here too."

Gabriel, clenched his fists, but didn't say anything. He was still angry, the memory of Rin afraid and in pain seared into his mind. But Harris was her father and he had to respect that, even if it meant getting banned from the Outlaw Hideout.

"I got no patience for hotheads looking to start fights and word is you've been gettin' into a few lately. You ruined a table and lost me money. But... you did give that bastard what he deserved for layin' hands on my daughter. So, in a way, I owe you some thanks," he said, offering his hand.

Stunned, Gabriel shook the big man's hand, his anger receding. Neither said a word to the other as Harris hid his gun back under the bar and Gabriel took a seat, ordering a gallon of water to flush out the rest of the alcohol lingering in his system. Jeremy continued to drink until he could barely walk, at which point Gabriel dragged his friend up to one of the board rooms to crash in. When he came back down, the bar had cleared out. While it was nearing midnight on their world, it was nearly 3 a.m. on Earth. Except for the moons and stars, it would still be night when the settlement awakened. By the time Ixion rose it would be supper time.

But even though he hadn't slept for over a day, Gabriel couldn't rest, not yet. He insisted on helping clean up, promising to buy Harris a new table if he could. Harris finally gave in and tossed him a broom. After thoroughly sweeping and mopping the floor, Gabriel set about wiping down the tables. About halfway through, a familiar sweet scent made him stop and look up. Rin had returned and she was watching him from behind the bar as she helped her father clean the last of the glasses and plates. Warmth flared inside his chest when she gave him a small smile and looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear.

When the chores were done, Rin left her father to calculate the credits and expenditures from the previous day, walking over to Gabriel as he finished wiping down the last table. She smiled at him as they sat, the two sharing a moment of comfortable silence that only came from years of friendship. The warmth in his chest quickly morphed into a painful ache as he recalled the night's events. _Are you alright?_

_I'm fine,_ she said. _Dallas isn't the first drunk to yell at me._

_But you're not hurt?_

Rin shook her head. _Gabriel, he only grabbed my wrist. I'm tougher than I look. I was just really surprised he would do something that stupid with you and my dad watching his every move._

His shoulders tensed. She knew he'd been watching her? Or just watching the Young brothers?

_I think Nova was more upset than me. She did most of the talking once we were out of sight. Lots of pacing and shouting. I couldn't understand much of what she said, but I'm pretty sure it was how she was going to kick Dallas' ass if she ever saw him again. I told her she's never going to be sheriff if she didn't learn to control her temper. Of course, she starts lecturing me. And this goes on and on until I finally grab my data pad to write on and tell her to be quiet and let me finish speaking!_

Gabriel didn't say anything, letting her vent. Then he realized that he was concentrating so hard on not staring at her chest that he was missing what Rin was saying. Focus, moron.

When she finally paused for several seconds, he responded. _It sounds like Nova's just looking out for you. The Young brothers aren't some passing trader or corporate soft hand who is going to leave in a few days. They're here to stay and believe me they tend to carry a grudge._

_Well then, if anyone should be concerned, it's you and my dad. You smashed Dallas' face into a table and he banished all of them at gunpoint. Which reminds me, how many times have you fought with them?_

_Once. And I kicked their asses._ He'd held back too. He could have easily broken their arms or jaws. When he'd reached adulthood Sheriff Brady and him had had a long conversation about when he was allowed to use his strength and how much.

_Let me rephrase the question: how many times have you nearly fought them in the past couple months?_

_Nearly is a grey area._

She frowned and glared at him, daring him to try and dodge the question again.

_Four… or five, I think. Wait, we're talking about you, how did this become about me?!_

Rin smiled and pushed his shoulder playfully. _Because you make it really easy, that's how._

After teasing each other a bit, they caught each other up to speed on what was going on in each other's lives. Rin's garden was flourishing and she insisted he see it before he had to leave for his hunting trip. She planned to sell the seeds and flowers at the trade fair, hopefully earning some extra money to help her father finish paying off his debts. Gabriel told her about the hunt for the Wans' missing zarok and his frustration with being unable to find any tracks or clue as to what happened to them.

_And now Markus is missing a head?_ he asked.

_It could've been a pack of foxwolves. Nobody is sure._ Rin hesitated, chewing her lip as she folded her hands on the table.

_What?_

_It's just that… there've been whispers. Rumors from around town. Nova told me that a few people think you might be the one… stealing the zarok. And that's why you couldn't 'find' them._

Gabriel growled. _You don't believe them, do you?_

_Of course not,_ she said, grabbing his hand for emphasis. He tensed, his hand and arm on fire as her small hand squeezed his calloused fingers. His mind went blank as he stared into her soft, brown eyes, her scent filling his throat and lungs until he couldn't breathe. Her jet black hair fell in lustrous waves over her tan shoulders, framing her high cheeks and round breasts. His hand closed around hers and before he knew what he was doing he gently brushed a thumb over the side of her face, his fingers entangling themselves in her thick locks.

Rin's father coughed and Gabriel snapped back to reality, quickly pulling his hand back. He tried pulling his other hand back, but Rin's surprisingly strong grip trapped his two forefingers. His mind raced as he tried to remember what they'd been talking about, glancing over at Harris and wondering if he'd seen what had just happened. Rin finally let go of his hand so he could speak.

_I need to go,_ he said, quickly standing to his feet and grabbing his coat from the back of the chair.

_Why? I haven't seen you in over two months and we've barely talked to each other._

_It's been over an hour, Rin. I need to get back to the ranch and you need some sleep._

He nodded to Harris and strode out. The windswept plains and uwanu trees blurred past him as he tried to forget the feeling of Rin tugging on his arm as he left, asking him what was wrong. He pushed the hovercycle faster, the throbbing hum vibrating through him until his hands and feet went numb. He was a coward. He was always running away and hurting the people that wanted to help him. Gabriel forced his mind to go blank the rest of the ride to the Ferguson's ranch. When he arrived, he was too upset to sleep, so he threw himself into his chores, desperately trying to forget the hole in his chest that ached night and day.

**\'/**

A gut-wrenching scream echoed through the lower mineshafts, followed a guttural roar that shook the earth and sent violent trembles through Adam's body. He bolted, sprinting down the tunnel, desperately trying to remember which way led to the elevator. His breath came in heavy gasps and sweat dripped down his face and back. Adam misjudged a turn in the darkness and slammed into a wall, the force of the blow sending a wave of dizziness and nausea through him. He bent double as wracking coughs tore through his throat. He spat, futilely trying to get the bitter taste of poison out his mouth. He'd lost his rebreather during the fight. If he didn't get out soon, the noxious fumes would shut down his lungs and he'd die of asphyxiation – a slow, painful death. He pushed on, having no intention of dying in this dark hell.

Adam stopped at four-way intersection, panic gripping him when he realized he'd been here before as he scanned the area with his night vision goggles. A low, guttural rasp made him spin around, his eyes flicking towards every shadow. Adam's heart pounded against his rib cage and his hands shook. _Run_, he told himself. _Run!_

_"This is HQ Red Shaft sector bravo, come in bravo!"_

Adam cursed and fumbled for his radio. The grid had gone down and he'd been running around blind without headquarter support since they'd been down here.

_"Bravo, come in bravo. Reid, McCormick, can you hear us?"_

A growl sounded to his right and Adam bolted left. "HQ this is Reid! Get me outta here!"

_"Calm down, Reid. Where's McCormick?"_

"He's dead! He's fucking dead and I'm next if you don't get me outta here!"

The line went silent for a moment and Adam slowed to a walk, his breath coming in heaving gasps. Shit. The thing was toying with him. It knew exactly where he was. Adam listened for the telltale clicks, grabbing a pipe from the floor. It wouldn't do shit against whatever was stalking him, but it made him feel better.

_"Reid, you're about a hundred meters from the elevator. Go straight ahead and take the second right."_

Adam took off, adrenaline burning through his muscles, HQ guiding him through twists and turns. His chest and head ached and his vision was starting to blur as he stumbled into the man-made cave that held the elevator shaft, equipment and machines. A strange crackling noise made him freeze, sending terrified chills over the back of his hands and neck.

In front of the elevator door, white, ghostly lights coruscated over the empty air, the flickering electricity slowly revealing his worst nightmare. The hulking monstrosity growled as it stood between him and the way up, two wickedly curved blades extending from one of its wrists.

"Oh God…" Adam rasped, fear paralyzing him.

Several miles directly above in the control center, Damian heard Reid's whisper. "Reid, what's going on? What is it?" Damian flinched as Adam's blood curdling screams filled his headset. "Reid! Reid! What the hell is going on!?" He spun in his chair, yelling at one of the other monitors. "Do we have camera access yet?"

The woman quickly checked her screen. "Not yet. The system's separate from the radio wiring. They still don't know what the problem is."

The screams suddenly cut off and Damian glanced down at his screen, watching Reid's beacon flicker motionless next to the elevator. Then it was gone.

Damian tried to patch into the system and get a radio tracking signal. All he received was static. He tried finding McCormick, but his signal was gone too. Frustrated, he pounded his fist against the dashboard. What in God's name was going on down there?!


	5. Not Human

**Author's Note:** Thanks to Guest for reviewing (you know who you are ;) and to brascar for favoriting. Praise _and_ critiques are always appreciated.

* * *

**Not Human**

* * *

Gabriel brought Rasha and Cucumber to a halt in front of the Harris' mesa, carefully sliding off and gently setting the small package he was carrying onto the ground before tying the two lonmas' reins around a low-hanging tree branch. Soft thuds emanated from the box and it shifted slightly over the dry grass. Rasha squawked as it suddenly toppled over, a small yelp coming from inside. Gabriel shook his head and gently righted the container, peeking inside to make sure the little thing hadn't hurt itself. Satisfied, he tucked the package under his arm and headed to the front door, pressing the buzzer with his thumb.

His guilt for suddenly leaving Rin without explanation had haunted him for the past several days and he couldn't leave Eladoro without apologizing. Her hurt and confused expression as he'd dashed out ate at him, so much so that he was beginning to feel slightly sick. The fact that he'd caused her some kind of pain, however slight, was unacceptable. So after finalizing everything with the herd and recruiting Mariana to help out the Fergusons with their drive for the upcoming trade fair, he'd come here, hoping to make things right before he left.

As soon as she opened the door he forgot everything he'd planned on saying, her tousled hair and large eyes making his hearts trip over each other as they began to race. He clenched his free hand as it began to shake, her sweet scent mixed with fresh turned earth and green tea overwhelming him.

Gabriel warbled in surprise as she ran forward and collided with his solid chest, hugging him as tightly as she could. He hesitated, slowly placing his free hand on her shoulder, doing everything in his power not to run it through her hair as she pulled away. _I was afraid I wouldn't see you before you left!_ she said and then pulled him inside before he had a chance to reply.

The Harris' home was spacious, the living room dominated by a large fireplace with mismatched couches and cushions surrounding a dappled pelt of some ferocious carnivore. Harris told people he'd killed it in the frozen mountains of Proctarius while fighting pirates. The truth was he'd bought it at a spaceport market, but Rin had made Gabriel swear to never breathe a word about it. Her father had collected artwork and knickknacks from other worlds across the galaxy – a glass jar of red sighing sand from the hot desert world of Coronis, several weeping women statues from the turbulent Gillam sector and even a skull-encrusted reaver blade he'd taken during a raid on a rebel compound.

A small table for two was nestled inside the large kitchen. Spotless counters held small, potted plants while dry herbs hung from beneath the cabinets. A creeping ivy was stubbornly making its way up one of the walls, slowly making its escape through the large, round opening that separated the study from the kitchen.

He set the box down, surreptitiously sliding it under the table with his foot while she hurriedly straightened a few things, providing him with a generous view of her backside. When she turned around he signed, _You said you wanted to show me your garden before I left._

She wasn't fooled and she looked around for the box he'd just had, smiling. _Where's the box?_

_What box?_ was all he said with a smug grin as he pulled her away from the living room and towards the back door.

Rin's garden was snugly encircled by a grove of fruit trees, which sheltered the wildflowers and other exotic plants she'd managed to collect from most of the sun's harsh light. Her home and the Outlaw Hideout rested on a small hill, allowing her garden a spectacular view of the settlement below. The Blue River wound between the valley buttes, its pristine waters shimmering like snake scales as the sun's afternoon rays filtered into the valley. In the corner of the garden a bubbling waterfall continually filled a large pond lined with smooth, white stones. Many of the summer flowers had faded as the weather slowly turned cool, but a few late bloomers remained. Pale flowers burst with crimson and gold from their delicate centers, the white petals framed by violet stems and maroon grasses. Rin had tried to describe what they looked like to her, but Gabriel couldn't picture the colors she'd described any more than he could tell her what he saw. At her behest, Gabriel removed his boots and dug his feet into the cool sand path, its branching walkways hidden by the large ferns and bushes. A pale uwanu tree dominated the center, its slender branches arching overhead to form a leafy umbrella. It was young, Gabriel thought as he traced his claws over the smooth bark. If he jumped he could reach its lower branches, though the green reeyups nesting in its limbs probably wouldn't like that. Rin sat on a large mossy stone in front of the waterfall, watching him as he explored her private world.

_It's beautiful,_ he told her. _I can't believe how much you've done._

_Well, it's been awhile since you've come over,_ she signed, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Gabriel's brow furrowed as he tried to remember the last time he'd been here. _It was in the spring, right?_

_Last spring,_ actually.

_I'm sorry. I didn't realize how busy I'd become._ He couldn't believe it had been that long. Even his visits to the bar had become less frequent, showing up maybe once every few months instead of his usual every other week. The rut had made him reclusive. With each day he could feel it growing stronger and right now he was hyper-aware of every move Rin made. He hoped his urges would begin to fade once he left the settlement.

The same hurt he'd seen when he'd left a few days ago crept back into her eyes as she watched his hands. Gabriel crouched in front of her, his mouth tasting the salty scent of tears building in her eyes. _What's wrong?_

_I don't know. It's just…_ She looked down as she fiddled with her hands. _It feels like you're becoming so distant and I've been trying to figure out why._

He raised her chin so she was looking him in the eye. _Whatever you think, it's not your fault. I've been dealing with some… personal baggage for the past few months. But it should be resolved soon._

_It's not just the past few months, Gabriel. It's been the past few years. We used to do everything together when we were younger. I know we have responsibilities now that we're adults but that doesn't mean you have to cut me off. Jeremy can call you whenever he wants, why can't I?_

It was Gabriel's turn to look at the ground. Any excuse he came up with would sound pathetic and Rin would know he was lying, so he kept his hands still.

_That! That right there. What you're doing right now. Shutting me out. I don't understand why you feel you have to hide your problems from me._

He was this close to telling her everything. But fear kept him silent, his imagination running wild as he considered her reaction. He froze as her fingers brushed the back of his hands, urging him to say something. Then he remembered the box he'd hidden inside her home. _Wait here,_ he said before disappearing into the mesa.

Rin smirked and shook her head when he came back out with his gift. I knew there was a box. She scooted off the large, black river stone, kneeling on the grass as he set it in front of her, cutting the string holding it together with his long hunting knife.

_I wanted to apologize for walking out the other night,_ he said before lifting the lid off.

Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw it, a smile blooming across her face as she reached for the squirming black puppy. It whined as she held it up, its tail wagging a hundred kilometers an hour as its pink tongue searched for her face. She set it in her lap, the pup playfully gnawing on her hands as she petted its soft fur, carefully rolling it on its back to see its gender.

_One of the Wan's dogs had some puppies a few months ago. They asked me if I wanted one but I don't have the time to look after one, plus the Fergusons already have a few herding dogs. Then I thought of you._

Rin managed to free her hands from the excited puppy for a moment. _She's adorable but what am I going to do with her? She'll dig up my garden!_

Gabriel thought for a moment. _Well, you could always eat her._ He chuffed as she shoved his shoulder and rolled her eyes.

After they'd thoroughly exhausted the puppy, Rin carried it to her bedroom, making a small pallet for it on the floor. She met Gabriel out front as he fed Rasha meat as a reward for not chewing through her reins again and being patient. Cucumber, the pack lonma he'd brought along to carry his extra gear, whined and Gabriel tossed him a piece as well, steadying Rasha as she snorted jealously. Rin watched him with sad eyes and the ache inside his chest returned.

_When will you be back?_

_I'll be gone about a week and a half. Probably get back the day before Founding Day._

Her eyebrows pinched together and she put her fists on top of one another, her forefingers making a crooked 'V' as she rotated her hands in front of her chest. _Be careful._

He nodded and hopped on Rasha and continued north, Cucumber happily trotting behind.

But before he disappeared, he needed to make one more stop.

**~\'/~**

The church was set on the northern edge of the town, a small grove and vegetable garden tucked in behind it. Twelve uwanu trees, one for each disciple of Christ, lined the dirt path leading up to the wide stairway, the orange and white archway immaculately decorated with ornate carvings and symbols. The etchings and pictographs continued further in, biblical events, miracles, missionaries, and mystical symbols masterfully engraved along the wide halls. The stone floor and vaulted ceiling remained bare except for flickering bowls of fire hanging every couple of meters. Gabriel silently made his way to the center of the stone structure carved into the end of the long mesa shielding their valley, mindful that even the softest whisper carried within the hallowed walls. As soon as he entered the room of worship he paused, studying the awe-inspiring art decorating the far wall. Fiery angels swirled about a central locus, a simple cross carved from the pale wood of an uwanu tree. Their blazing faces were filled with passion and righteous fury, some wielding blades of shining light. He'd never seen the finished result and took a moment to admire it.

"It's been a long time since you've darkened the door of the church," remarked Brother John Mason, startling Gabriel. The monk stepped out from the shadows, standing beside him and sharing the view for a moment. "What brings you to my humble home?"

Gabriel pulled off his rebreather, the hissing pop echoing loudly inside the large chamber. "I'd hardly call your home humble," he clicked, noting the rest of the walls and floor remained bare. He was impressed with how quietly the man had moved.

"I consider creating art an act of worship. Sometimes carving a great act of faith or betrayal brings me closer to Him than prayer ever could. But you didn't come to admire my scribbles."

Gabriel's rumble echoed throughout the large cavern. "I need your advice."

Brother John nodded and gestured for him to follow, taking him to his study. The cozy room was littered with chiseling tools and sketches, glowing hot coals inside a small fireplace keeping the room relatively warm. The walls were stuffed to overflowing with books – dozens of versions of the Word, competing philosophies, apologetic treatises and innumerable stories of martyrdom. Some were written in Spanish, Chinese and Russian, as well as a few other languages Gabriel didn't recognize. It had always amazed the people of Eladoro that a man so well learned as Brother John would want to settle on a backwater moon like theirs.

Gabriel gingerly took a seat, surprised at how sturdy the chair was once he'd set his full weight down.

"Uwanu wood is both incredibly light and strong. The longer a tree lives, the stronger it becomes," Brother John remarked, groaning as he settled into his padded chair and adjusted his brown robes. "Unlike myself. I'm afraid I'm growing old," he sighed, his fingers running through his wild, pepper grey hair. "So what is it that you wish to talk about, hm?"

Gabriel cleared his throat. "I need your advice on a personal matter."

The monk's expression turned thoughtful, but he said nothing, letting Gabriel continue.

He struggled to find the right words to express himself. He'd barely explained things to Jeremy and not even his parents knew the whole story. "I… I really care about someone, but… I don't know what to do."

"Hmm…" mused Brother John. "Is this person in trouble?"

Gabriel shook his head.

The monk thought about it a moment, scratching his chin and muttering to himself. After a long moment he folded his hands and looked him directly in the eye, a small smile settling on his face. "So how long have you been in love?"

Gabriel straightened, his mandibles flaring and brow furrowing confusion. "Wha… how did you know?"

He chuckled. "A monk never reveals his secrets. You're not the only person to seek me out as a confidant. I can't tell you who or why, but I what I can tell you is that love is never meant to be hidden."

"It was Jeremy wasn't it?"

He shook his head.

"I need to know," Gabriel growled.

The brother gave a tired smiled, holding his hands up in defeat. "I don't like breaking promises Gabriel but maybe she would want me to… The person I speak of is your mother, who came to me some months ago. She was worried about how withdrawn you've become."

"I knew it," he muttered. No wonder she'd been asking so many weird questions lately.

The monk lightly clapped his hands together. "Now, back to the subject of you being in love."

Gabriel rubbed his arm, uncomfortable with the sudden turn in conversation. He'd just wanted some comforting spiritual advice, maybe a verse to ponder. Not therapy. "Um… well, there's this girl... but it doesn't matter because I'm not human."

"Not human? What about not being human?" Brother John leaned forward, resting his elbow on the armrest and gesturing as he spoke. "Gabriel, I've read of and spoken to men with hearts so black it would chill your soul. I've met hideous whores whose hearts were so gentle and so kind that it still humbles me to this day."

"They're still human."

The monk smiled, his arm falling still. "Yes, they're human. But what do you think God sees when He looks at them or you?" He leaned forward more, his two forefingers tapping Gabriel's chest. "He sees inside you. He sees the doubts, the courage, the lies, the suffering. When God looks into a person's soul he sees the entire fabric of your being, created by the choices we make every day and the potential for good, no matter how small."

"Why would God care about an alien?"

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he sat back. "It is humanity's hubris that we think ourselves the center of the universe, that we, above all other creatures, are His favored children, not unlike the Israelites."

Gabriel growled defensively, not liking the corner the monk had backed him into. "What does a monk know about love?"

Brother John's eyes became misty as he settled back into his chair. "Because I loved a woman once, a long time ago. And then I lost her," his voice broke, the pain still fresh, the wound never fully healed. He looked at Gabriel then, his tone grim. "Like you, I sought to escape the pain of loneliness by isolating myself. Gabriel, if you don't confront your feelings for this girl soon, I may not be there when you decide to end it all again. I believe you were born in Eladoro for a purpose and advise you to seek God's counsel as you journey north. As I seek Him through art so you must seek Him in your hunt. There, perhaps, you will find Him waiting."

Gabriel kept silent, angry and hopeful all at the same time. He'd rather not think about that night and what had almost happened. Brother John was challenging him on a level he had not prepared himself for and he wasn't sure he could live up to his expectations. He thanked the monk and left, disappearing into the Whistling Plains, his hearts heavy as began to consider his future amongst the Eladorans.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know it's short, but good things come to those who wait! As a reminder, I will be updating my profile at least once a week between Friday uploads with background info for the world of Navarra. Check it out by clicking my name at the top of the page and, as always, let me know what you think in the review section!


	6. Dragon's Blood

**Author's Note:** Hey look! It's that guy from Chapter 2.

* * *

**Dragon's Blood**

* * *

Agent Sung Lee and his partner, Lyra Andrews, strode down the ship's ramp, the engines keening as they powered down, hot gusts of air stirring up the sand strewn runway. A small contingent of scientists waited for them, an older gentleman stepping forward to shake their hands as they stepped onto the moon's soil. "I'm Director Hamilton! We have a smaller craft waiting to take you to the burrow!" he shouted as they walked towards the two ground vehicles that would take them to the Tau Sigma IV outpost, the facility hidden within the densely packed jungle.

"A burrow?" asked Sung, training his black aviators on the man.

"It's what the locals call a research facility buried underground," explained his red-haired partner as they climbed into the lightly armored truck.

"The lady is correct," said Hamilton as they climbed in, shutting the door behind him. He wiped the sweat beading across his forehead with his red ascot, the fabric loosely looped about his tanned neck. "Nebular Enterprises strives to align its colonization procedures with the low-impact policies agreed upon in the Tiberian Council several decades ago. Navarra is one of the first outlying worlds to fully implement the plan. In Eladoro, the ranchers carve their homes into buttes. Here on the continent of Sentaria we're forced to be a bit more creative. Tau Sigma is built inside a dormant volcano. It's quite fascinating, really. You'll see—"

"If you could get to the point," interrupted Sung.

"Oh, yes... well to be precise, a burrow is a much smaller outpost scientists use on field expeditions."

"And that's where your four personnel went missing?"

The director glanced uncertainly between the two agents. "We're not sure. The major isn't saying much about what the planetary police have found. From what I've managed to pry out of him there appears to be no motive or suspect that could fit the case. It's like all four vanished—" he snapped his fingers, "—into thin air."

Sung and Lyra looked at each other. The case was similar to previous incidences mentioned during the briefing. Humans in remote parts of the galaxy disappearing for no apparent reason. Most of the time it could be attributed to slavers, murder or an accident. But every once in awhile they found a case like this.

"Do you know what happened to them? It's been almost two weeks," Hamilton implored, the strain of the case evident in the puffy red circles hanging from his eyes and rumpled clothes. Deep wrinkles furrowed his leathery skin as he waited for their answer.

"Dr. Hamilton, I am not at liberty to discuss the case until the interviews begin when we return from the scene. What I will say is that I strongly advise you to keep all personnel secured within the main research facility until the situation has been resolved and under no circumstances should anyone go anywhere alone. Can you do that?"

The director turned slightly pale, nodding as he sat back.

They were quickly transferred to a smaller craft, their request made very clear beforehand that they needed to begin the investigation as soon as possible. As the ship headed over the mountains, Sung turned his gaze from the dense blue-green forests and looked over at his partner. She was scanning the case files they'd received, her black sunglasses and suit jacket tossed onto a nearby seat. "So… what do you think?" he said, smirking as he held up his data pad. He'd been reviewing the notes as well.

Lyra sniffed. "God awful. If anyone is arrested it should be whoever filled out this paperwork," she grumbled, tossing the pad onto her jacket. "The police waited two days. Two _days _after the missing person's report was filed before they sent out a search and rescue party. They screwed up procedure, contaminated the crime scene…" Lyra couldn't finish her sentence, rubbing her forehead and muttering under her breath.

Sung shook his head and went through the data on Navarra. "Well, it is their first murder case. That's pretty good, considering the messed up worlds you and I come from. The worst this world has to offer is public intoxication, domestic disputes and… cattle theft."

"Cattle theft?"

"Yeah… a couple ranchers in Eladoro reported some missing animals a few weeks ago." Sung's brows furrowed as he read the incident reports.

"Wild animals probably ate them. The herds are free range, right?"

He didn't answer, mulling over the data. "I think we should stop by Eladoro after Derrigan."

Lyra sighed. "If you say so."

The craft slowly began to bank, the pilot asking them to remain seated as they went in for the landing. As Lyra strapped herself in, she noticed her partner was still staring grimly at his data slate, harness untouched. She knew that look. It was not a look she wanted to see. "Sung, we're not supposed to go after it. We confirm and then the higher ups send in the special forces. That's how it goes. There's no room for heroes in the organization. Otherwise you end up dead like Donovan and Omondi."

Sung said nothing, pressing his lips together before he said something he'd regret. His partner was just looking out for him. But he knew the risk they ran more than most. And if he did find what she hoped they wouldn't, he wasn't waiting for the bureaucracy to make a move.

After making sure the pilot knew to wait for them to return, the pair disembarked, their black suits and ties and white-collared shirts at odds with the untamed wilderness. The suits were more for making an impression on the local populace. It was what people expected when it came to government agents. Out here, in the woods, they were a nuisance. Sung had shredded and stained more suits than he cared to recall.

Thankfully, the trek to the burrow was short and the inside was just as the video logs had described it. Lyra scanned for trace elements and DNA samples while Sung searched through the computer files for anything unusual. When nothing came up he found his partner studying the reader. "Find anything?"

"Yeah. Found some strands of hair that belonged to Tai Xu. Her and Parak Bakshi must have stopped by here to see if the first set of victims were home. Matches the log entry Parak made to get inside the day they were sent out to deliver the comm pack. When they didn't find them, they would've left and headed northeast to the campsite the scientists were working in."

"Then that's our next stop," said Sung.

**~\'/~**

They scanned the campsite, the boot prints of previous investigators mixing with the victims, so much so that it was next to impossible to differentiate between the two. The tents had been searched, the original placement of objects either moved or taken back to the main facility. Nothing however, suggested a struggle. It was deceptively tranquil, Sung thought as he did a slow 360-degree turn, letting his mind clear for a moment as he examined the forest and river.

"Hey Sung! Sung, take a look at this."

"Keep your voice down," he said as he walked towards his partner, slowing when he saw what she'd found. Lyra crouched at the edge of the glowing circle, the luminescent blue spatter sending chills through him. "That's a lot of blood."

"Yep. And I bet if we sprayed that branch up there we'd find more of it," she said as she looked up at the long, thick limb stretching out above them.

"Whose is it?"

"Hard to say. The elements did a number to the integrity of the DNA but it's looking like it's from a female, possibly blonde and tall."

"Diana Polouektov."

"Bingo."

They sprayed down the rest of the site, but no other bloodstains appeared. The higher ups would need more proof before they decided to commit precious resources to a backwater world. They called off the search, unwilling to venture from the campsite, especially with the sun going down. Sung blinked on his night vision lenses as they walked back through the dark forest. "Place reminds me of those horror stories I heard as a kid," he said as he scanned the eerie grey twilight.

"The locals call it the Tangled Wood," said Lyra as she hugged herself, the temperature suddenly dropping the deeper in they walked. "If it wasn't haunted before, I bet it is now."

Something twinkled in the lowlight and Sung paused, zooming in on the roots of one of the trees.

"What? Sung, what is it?" she whispered, her hand instinctively going for the pistol clipped to her belt.

"Not sure," he said, kicking away some of the white mushrooms to get a better view. He reached down, slowly bringing the small item to eye level, Lyra moving closer to see what he'd found.

"Is that… a dragon?"

"Yes… and no. This isn't just a dragon. It's a very expensive data carrier and I'm guessing it belonged to Tai Xu."

"Why?"

"Three reasons: One, she's of Chinese descent; two, she was born in the year of the dragon; and three, her family is rich enough to afford these kind of baubles."

Lyra nodded. "Pretty good reasons."

Sung's excitement at the find quickly dissipated. "Scan for blood."

His partner sprayed, the ground and nearby tree trunk lighting up blue. "Sonuvabitch," she hissed, snapping her spray bottle shut. Sung's hand squeezed around the small, crystal dragon. Two confirmed kills, with four others almost certainly dead. Maybe more. If they didn't figure out where it was hiding soon the killing would continue. _I'm going to find you,_ Sung swore to himself. _I'm not leaving this planet until one of us is dead._

**~\'/~**

Gabriel followed the narrow trail to a small spring hidden on the far side of the mountain and found a suitable perch in one of the nearby trees. The odds were in his favor of catching something today based on the many tracks he'd seen around the muddy edge. The past couple of days his traps had lain empty but he wasn't worried. He'd caught plenty of game over the past week, enough to keep himself and his lonma fed. The rest of the meat and pelts would be sold in the settlement.

No, what worried him was the fire in his veins and the heavy musk he had to continually wash away so the animals couldn't smell him coming. Instead of calming his rut, leaving the settlement had only made his urges stronger, his body somehow reacting to the absence of female pheromones. The pain sometimes kept him awake at night and his bow shots were becoming sloppy. He'd tried to channel his aggression, pushing himself to explore farther than he'd ever gone before, hunting game he'd never known existed. But still it burned within him, the desire to hold a woman, to caress her soft curves and dig his claws into her hair as he poured himself into her until he was spent.

Gabriel leaned back and let the warm rays of the sun dance over his mottled skin, closing his tired eyes for a moment. The orange afternoon light filtered through the wispy strands of moss hanging from the tree limbs, the high branches swaying as a cool breeze blew down from the high mountains. He tried clearing his mind, slowly breathing in the scents carried by the soft wind.

Unbidden, an image of Rin filled his mind and the bliss of nothingness vanished. He flipped through the mental images he'd stored of her over the years, the moments organized into specific categories. Of course, his brain picked the ones that tantalized him the most and he lingered over the one from five years ago when Nova had persuaded her to wear one of her bikinis during a trip to the western falls. Gabriel had stayed in the water almost the entire time to hide his hard-on, shooting Jeremy dirty looks when his friend flirted with her.

Physical pain coursed through his groin and as he forced the memory from his mind another took its place, one he'd rather forget...

Three years ago, early spring. Dark, swirling storm clouds blackened the sky, a cold wind howling down from the north, scattering dust and dead grass over the orange earth. Several tornadoes had been reported across the Whistling Plains and with the heart of the storm about to pass over Eladoro, it was likely more would fall from the sky. Everyone had wisely taken shelter in their buttes. Everyone that is, except Gabriel. He stumbled, the cold wind pushing him sideways. He took another swig of the nearly empty bottle, his blank gaze set on the black river ahead, flushed full with water from the icy mountains, the snow still melting from their high peaks. The swift water looked inviting. Perhaps it would cool the raging fire in his bones and carry him away somewhere. Somewhere far. Maybe deep into the ocean, where he would never see the stars and no one could see his hideous face.

Gabriel misjudged the edge and fell down the grassy bank, sliding to a stop at the river's edge, the icy water licking his fingertips. He staggered to his feet and downed the last of the bottle, the clear liquid burning his throat and stomach until he'd drowned his thoughts and there was nothing but the sound of the rushing river and the scent of rain. The bottle slipped from his hand and clattered across the pebbled shoreline as it rolled away. He stood there for a long time, waiting as the chill claws of despair squeezed the warmth from his flesh and he awoke to find himself thigh-deep in the river, the current slowly dragging him away. Gabriel numbly observed that he was beginning to hallucinate as he stared at the tall, dark figure watching him from the opposite side of the bank. His ebon skin was wrapped in black segmented armor and his face was hidden behind an ornate mask, large, soulless lenses swallowing Gabriel inside of them. A long, flowing cape billowed just above the stygian river, as if caught in some dark, ethereal wind. The figure pushed aside his cloak and pulled from his holster an ornate, obsidian pistol. Gabriel pulled out his own pistol tucked in the back of his pants. He cocked the gun, following the slow, deliberate movements of the figure in front of him. Cold steel pressed against the soft bottom of his jaw, his finger resting on the trigger. The figure across from him silently waited, the howling wind dying for a moment. Gabriel tensed his forearm, preparing to pull.

A voice cut through the lull in the storm. "Gabriel!"

He froze, unsure of what to do. The dark figure watched him, unmoving, patiently waiting for him to end it for both of them. The icy river was dragging him further in, the water up to his waist now. He was starting to lose feeling in his legs, his boots like icy stones anchoring him to the river bed.

"Gabriel, don't do it!" The voice was close and he lowered his gun slightly to search for the owner. The dark warrior lowered his pistol to his side.

"Gabriel!" He heard splashes as someone else entered the water. A second later a hand was on his arm, another reaching around to gently take the gun away. "Give me the gun Gabriel. Come on, let go… that's it. Good." The man's teeth were chattering. "Come on, let's get out of here and get inside where it's warm. Lean on me, that's it."

Gabriel didn't remember much after that, only that he was cold and tired. The voice hadn't let him quit though. When he'd come to he'd found himself in a strange bed, the room lit with candles and a pot of stew boiling over a crackling fire. When his hangover had settled into a mild headache he'd sat up, Brother John shuffling in a moment later to fix him a bowl. The monk hadn't pressed him for answers then, the two eating in silence.

The memory suddenly vanished, the scent of a foxwolf catching his attention and Gabriel shifted slightly in his perch, loosely notching an arrow. His pupils dilated as he focused on the spring, cocking his head to locate from which direction the animal was coming. After several tense moments, the foxwolf limped into view, its tawny fur and strong muscles indicating that it was a mature male, mostly likely three or four years old.

Gabriel slowly relaxed his tensed arm, letting the bow string go slack as he watched the foxwolf limp over to the water, holding its right forepaw off the ground. A deep gash had been torn into its ankle and the paw dangled in the air as it bent its head to take a drink. Something had taken a chunk out of its ear and left shoulder as well, its beautiful coat shredded and matted. He considered ending the creature's misery for a brief moment as it collapsed onto the bank, panting heavily and gingerly licking its paw.

Then, in the distance, a high-pitched wail rose over the thick forest, several voices joining in until their song echoed across the low mountains for kilometers around. The foxwolf whimpered and tried to stand, falling back against the damp earth, answering with a half-hearted howl of its own.

For nearly an hour, Gabriel watched the creature struggle to answer the cries of its pack, their songs becoming less and less frequent until only one remained. He cocked his head and listened, softly clicking as he realized it was a female foxwolf and it was her song that had first echoed through the forest. Then Gabriel realized why the creature couldn't answer back. As the foxwolf lifted its head and let loose a raspy cry, Gabriel saw the bite marks lining its throat and could sense the pain it felt each time it tried to answer it mate's call.

A final howl soared over the evening sky and then all was quiet. He watched the foxwolf, desperate and alone, whimper for several long minutes before setting his head down, too exhausted to try anymore.

Gabriel quietly descended from his perch, never taking his eyes off the huge male until he was within the safety of the tree line.

Back at his makeshift camp, Gabriel watched the flickering fire and thought about wounded foxwolf. If only it had tried harder and fought through the pain, its mate would've heard him. But could it even howl? Was its throat too damaged to cry out for help? If he'd howled, his wound might have been exacerbated and then he would die. But now he would surely die, if not tonight, then tomorrow. He pondered the wolf's fate, unable to forget its pitiful whimpering, nor the faithful cries of the female foxwolf. Gabriel laid back, resting the back of his head on the palms of his hands as he stared up at the stars. _He should've cried out_, thought Gabriel. _Even if he'd died, he wouldn't have died alone._

_Like you? _he asked himself as he gazed up at the burgundy-black sky, thousands of crimson, orange and white stars staring back down at him. He watched them slowly turn, meteorites sparking across the sky. Gabriel thought back to what Brother John had said, about looking for God in the wilderness. His brow furrowed. Was the foxwolf his sign? Take a chance or die alone?

He growled and sat up, his breath coming out in heavy puffs of steam. His hearts thumped against his ribcage and stomach began tying itself in knots as he imagined confessing to Rin his desire and telling her… everything. That their first kiss had been his undoing. That he loved the way her hair shimmered in the sunlight. How intelligent she was. How she was the only person who really understood him.

Gabriel hissed as the pain of lust and loneliness filled him, a fire filling his chest. He let loose a howling roar that shattered the midnight silence. His cry echoed through the forest, carried by northern winds until it reached the southern foothills.

A pair of gleaming yellow eyes gazed up at the faraway mountains, its monstrous kill forgotten. The shadowy creature thought it had heard something, something eerily familiar. The cry of a ghost. It growled and ripped the spine and skull free from its prey's body.

It would find this ghost. And slay it.

**~\'/~**

Sung casually skimmed through the images and data boxes, flicking the holo-images aside until he found the ones he was looking for. He pulled them forward and dismissed the rest, flipping them around for Director Hamilton's viewing pleasure.

"Oh God..." The man went pale and covered his eyes with his hand when he saw the glowing blood splatters.

Sung folded his hands and leaned forward, watching the director's every move. He knew Lyra was doing the same. She stood just behind him, arms crossed. She was the psychology expert. But Sung wasn't naïve. He knew what to look for when it mattered. "Do you know what those are?"

The director nodded, swallowing as he looked up. "It's blood. Luminol powder mixed with hydrogen peroxide and hydroxide in a spray bottle. Iron in the hemoglobin in the blood serves as a catalyst for the chemiluminescence reaction that causes it to glow blue. It's been used since—"

"That's enough, director. We don't need a chemistry lesson." Sung pulled the images away.

Hamilton leaned forward. "Whose blood was that?"

"The one on your left belonged to Diana Polouektov. The one on the right was Tai Xu. Parak Bakshi and Javeed Shamun are still missing. It's doubtful they're still alive." Sung watched him, unblinking as he assessed the man's reaction. He knew Lyra's suspicions were false, but he had to indulge them.

"Why are you showing me these? You… you don't think _I_ did it?" Hamilton gestured to himself, glancing between the two agents. Their stony countenances remained unmoved.

"We're pursuing all avenues of investigation, Dr. Hamilton," said Lyra. Her heels clicked as she began to slowly pace around the table. "We've run all the security tapes and everyone in the facility is accounted for during the time of both murders… except for you and an IT assistant, Mareska. In fact, there's a lot of missing data." The metallic room echoed with her footsteps as she continued circling the director. "I understand Javeed and Diana were in a relationship. Company policy frowns on office romances. Parak is Javeed's friend, so he covers for the two—"

"Now hold on a minute! I would never kill anyone!"

"—Meanwhile, Tai Xu is continually defying you and pursuing her own projects."

Sung stepped in. "If you fired her you'd lose a large chunk of funding."

"No, it's not like that, I swear!"

Lyra spun, her bright green eyes boring into Hamilton's panicked gaze. "You have access to the log terminals and Mareska would be able wipe unauthorized activity, including unscheduled flights. Where were you on the day Diana and Javeed were murdered?"

Hamilton fidgeted in in his seat, his face flushed and tense. "This is just a misunderstanding. I should've come clean about this earlier but I'd promised Mareska to keep it a secret. We… we've been seeing each other."

"As in having sex?" asked Lyra.

"Yes. She didn't want the other assistants to know and I didn't want to lose my job. The last director here resigned because of sexual misconduct allegations. I've been fighting to change the rules that would allow couples and families to reside in the facility for a more stable work environment but the board thinks it will only distract from our mission. It's completely counter-productive to keep shuffling scientists in and out of here, in my opinion. We have a right to become a settlement like Eladoro and Derrigan."

Sung and Lyra looked at each other, sharing the same thought. "Do you have proof?"

"Yes. You can't completely erase the data, but Mareska knew ways to bury it. Just tell her the dates and times you need."

"Alright. You can go Dr. Hamilton. We're sorry we had to put you through this but we had to be sure."

"You won't tell anyone about Mareska and me, will you?"

Sung gave him a stern look. "No, but I suggest you stop tampering with the data streams and stop screwing each other in your office and hangar deck. Stick to your beds."

Lyra quickly stepped in. "You're the last interview we had today so we'll be heading out to Derrigan tomorrow morning."

Director Hamilton sighed as he stood. "Right... thank you. Do you need anything else?"

"No. Thank you for your help, director," said Lyra as she escorted him out. Sung followed behind at a distance, waiting in the hall until his partner had seen Hamilton onto the elevator. When she returned, she'd replaced her apologetic smile with a sour grimace. Sung locked the door behind him. "Well that was a waste of time."

"It's protocol."

"It's bullshit. We've wasted two days with these people when we both know that that thing cleared the area as soon as Parak and Tai went looking for Javeed and Diana. Otherwise, the PPF would be searching the woods for their own officers."

Lyra glanced around to make sure they were alone before whispering, "Keep your voice down. We don't even know if it is what we think it is. Unarmed scientists were killed."

"Well it obviously didn't care that they were unarmed, did it? And you're forgetting the two murders in Derrigan."

"None of these murders fit their MO. They go after difficult targets and mercy kill the unworthy. You've read the reports."

"This one isn't like the others."

The elevator door pinged and the two stepped inside. Sung jammed the level four button. An uncomfortable silence ensued, following them until Lyra broke it before they slipped into their adjoining hab units. "Sung."

He looked at her, one hand on the door handle, his dark eyes intense and steady.

"Listen, I'm not doing this because I enjoy getting under your skin. I'm doing this to make sure your ass is covered. There are some in the agency who think your objectivity is compromised too much for even counseling to reconcile."

"Breckenridge doesn't think so."

"Breckenridge doesn't have enough pull and if that prowler is the only guy who's got your back then you've got a problem. So get your head straight because even though I want to protect you, I'm not going down with you. I got burned once already."

"I'm not like Kurtz."

She held up a hand. "Save it, Sung. I'll believe it when you prove it." Lyra slipped into her suite, leaving Sung in the hallway. After a few seconds he entered his hab unit, tossing his jacket and tie on the couch. He didn't bother switching on the lights, grabbing his encrypted data pad and laying it on the coffee table, pulling Tai's crystal data carrier from his pocket. The translucent dragon clinked as he set it on the pad, glowing blue as the devices synced. He pulled up Tai's recording, skipping their trek to the burrow and the campsite, pausing when Tai's eyes found the skinless corpse of Diana hanging from a tree. He sat back, staring at the gruesome slashes crisscrossing the victim's blood soaked ribcage. Lyra was hoping they just had a psychotic killer on their hands. That's what they were all hoping. Except for the sick bastards who wanted to get their greedy hands on the Hunters' technology. 'For the good of humanity' of course.

But Sung knew they'd found something worse than the Hunters. Something that haunted the depths of space and his mind. His rescuers had told him pirates had raided his settlement. That it was the only reasonable explanation because there were no such things as monsters.

But he'd never forget the screams. Or the blood.

They'd made him watch as they'd strung up his parents and older brother, slowly turning them into skinless horrors that writhed and cried out for death until the monsters finally slit their stomachs open.

Sung removed the dragon from the data pad, its light disappearing as he curled his fingers around it and pressed it against his chin. His eyes burned with hate as he stared into the darkness and he squeezed the dragon inside his fist, the crystal digging into his calloused palm. The agency would send a kill team to eliminate the threat. But that would only attract more. If he was going to avenge his family and bring security to this world, they needed to find the nest…

And kill them all.


	7. Don't Scream

**Author's Note:** Thanks to Just a Crazy-Man, CallowWanderlust, Nubitr0n and "Guest" (you know who you are) for following, favoriting and reviewing. As for the rest of you, don't be shy! This is not a perfect story and opinions are welcome here (part of the nice thing about being an adult (for me) is that you mellow out and start growing a thicker skin). If you don't feel comfortable leaving a public review, drop me a PM. But if you must, I accept compliments as well. ;)

* * *

**Don't Scream**

* * *

Rin absently scrolled through the news columns on her data pad, their town flush with news from the traders and shipmasters that had recently docked at Eladoro over the past week and a half. Everyone had made a good profit, including her father, their bar and upstairs' rooms never empty until this afternoon. All was quiet now, but she was strangely restless, the words on her data pad's screen barely registering. Her device buzzed, a message from Nova popping up on her screen. She tapped it.

_Hey! Sorry I haven't been responding to your messages. My dad needed help with some paperwork for those morons who started a brawl outside your dad's bar yesterday. Their captain's giving them an earful, haha!_

Rin shook her head as she typed her response. _I need to get out of this place and get some sunshine._

_Well, come over to my house. And bring your puppy!_

_Okay._

Rin turned off her data pad and looked around the bar for her puppy. She snapped her fingers twice, sighing when nothing happened. Shadow was still learning—

A wet tongue suddenly licked the back of her leg and she smiled as she looked down. Her puppy looked up at her with its huge, brown eyes, her tail wagging in excitement. Rin pressed her four fingers to her thumb and drew it away from her face. _Let's go_. Shadow bolted for the door, pawing at it excitedly while she slipped on her boots. Her black bundle of fur bounded out as soon as she opened it, sniffing and biting at the grass until Rin snapped her fingers. She scratched Shadow behind the ears when she came and gave her a treat. _Good girl._

They set off, Rin eventually scooping her up when her little legs got tired. She nodded and waved to friends, letting them 'ohh' and 'aww' over Shadow as she made her way to the large butte in the center of town, her puppy squirming with delight at the new smells and faces.

Carved into the giant white- and orange-striped formation was the sheriff's office, jail, courtroom and council chambers, with the sheriff and his two part-time deputies living above it all in separate units. A wide, spiral staircase ran through the core of the structure, a metal door and A.I. unit guarding the upstairs passages. Rin pushed the buzzer, the door sliding open as soon as Nova confirmed her identity.

The two friends hugged, Nova pulling Rin inside and begging to hold Shadow. She passed the panting puppy to her friend and then took off her boots, wandering over to the fridge to rummage for something to drink. She sighed in defeat and grabbed a sugary lemon-flavored fizz, tossing the cap into the recycle chute before taking a swig, the sour bubbles tickling her tongue as the cool liquid slid down her throat. Rin walked over to the living room where her friend was playing with Shadow, her puppy's tail happily thumping against the rug as Nova gave her a belly rub. She curled up on the loveseat and looked around, waiting for her friend to grow bored.

Not much had changed since the last time she'd visited. Dirty and/or clean clothes hung over the dining room chairs, random objects littered the counters and dishes were stacked high in the sink. Nova called it 'casual living.' She and her father got things done when they needed to get done. The rest of the time they didn't worry about it. Rin couldn't stand messes, but it wasn't her house so she didn't worry about it.

When Shadow was thoroughly exhausted, Nova took the opposite side of the couch, one bare foot resting on the coffee table as she sunk into the cushions. "So," said Nova. "What's up?"

Rin shrugged and took another swig.

Nova rolled her eyes. "Come on. You didn't just come here to drink fizz. What is it?"

Rin set down her drink and pulled out her data pad and stylus from her satchel. _I don't know. I've just felt really down the last few days. _She held it up for Nova to see before erasing the message with a flick of her wrist.

Her friend had tried learning to sign, but she didn't have the patience for it. So they used data pads, paper, even dirt when they wanted to talk. Nova crossed her arms and gave her a hard stare, the kind her father, Sheriff Brady, gave people when trying to sort out an argument or interrogating someone. "Are you menstruating?"

Rin rolled her eyes and mouthed the word 'no.'

"Did one of the spacers harass you?"

She shook her head.

"Is your dad having financial issues?"

She shook her head again.

"Does it have something to do with Gabriel?"

Rin hesitated and Nova pounced. "Aha!"

She shook her head, trying to write down and explain, but her friend grabbed the pad, holding it out of arm's length. "Uh-uh! You ain't gettin' this back until you admit that it's Gabriel."

Rin huffed angrily and crossed her arms. How dare she take away her data pad!

"Admit it," Nova said with a sly smile on her face as she slowly handed it back to her.

Rin snatched the device from her hand, sticking her tongue out at her friend before furiously scribbling a response. _He's been acting weird the past few months. One day, he's happy to see me. The next time I see him it's like I don't exist. We'll talk and have fun but then he'll jump up and leave. And then he brought me Shadow as a present to say he was sorry. He says it's got nothing to do with me but I just don't think I can believe that. Maybe I'm over thinking everything..._

Nova's eyebrows slowly crept up her forehead the longer she read. "Okaaay," she said, leaning back when she was finished. "You told me about what happened before he left for the mountains and what happened after I left the bar the night Dallas grabbed you. Is there anything you may have left out? What happened right before he ran out?"

Rin's brow furrowed as she tried to remember. He'd asked if she believed the rumors about him and the zarok. She'd quickly denied it and grabbed his hand, feeling ashamed of herself for even bringing it up. _We were talking about the missing zarok. I told him a few people in town thought maybe he'd killed them. He asked me if I believed them and I said no and then he… _She paused, replaying the next few moments in her mind's eye. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled it, the sweet gesture suddenly so much more intimate. _He rubbed my cheek._

Rin watched Nova's expression go from bored to confused to stunned in the span of five seconds. Her friend scooted closer, eagerly pointing at the data pad. "He rubbed your cheek?"

She nodded.

"Show me."

Rin sighed, blushing even more as she gently slid her hand over the side of Nova's face and brushed her thumb over her cheek. She quickly pulled her hand back, feeling incredibly awkward.

Nova giggled. "Aww, you're so cute when you blush, Rin."

Rin gave her a sour look, wishing she could bury her face in a couch pillow. Unfortunately, Nova's father didn't believe in couch pillows. She handed her friend the data pad again.

"'I thought he was being sweet,'" read Nova. She gave Rin a deadpanned look. "You can't be serious. Guys don't just… they don't just do that to girls who are friends. The same goes for beating up a guy who hurt you. He obviously likes you. A lot. Or he's got control issues. Take your pick."

When Rin didn't pick up her data pad, Nova became worried and she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

She nodded, but Nova could see how upset she was. Her cheeks were flushed pink beneath her almond skin while her slightly slanted eyes had pinched in at the corners as she tried to hold back her tears. Rin didn't cry easily, so she chose her next words carefully. "Well, what do you think? I mean, I could be wrong. He's an alien after all and you're much better at reading him than I am."

Rin gave a half-hearted smile and then wrote down a reply, unable to look her in the eye while Nova read it.

She read it silently, and then one more time, just to be sure she'd read it correctly. _I've never told anyone this but I like Gabriel._

"Really?"

She nodded.

"Okay, um, since when?" _Didn't see that one coming_, she thought to herself.

_A long time. I was always too shy to say anything. Besides, I think he likes Marianna._

"Marianna? What makes you say that?"

_I've seen the way he looks at her. He doesn't do that to me._

Nova sighed. "Rin, _all _the guys look at her that way. Even I think she's gorgeous. Her skin turns golden brown in the sun while mine turns cherry red. And anyway, Gabriel does stare at you; he just does it when you're not looking. That night Dallas grabbed you? He was practically hypnotized, especially when you bent over," she teased. _Dammit Nova, stop teasing her! Try and be serious for once, _she thought, chastising herself as Rin's face flushed crimson.

_You're just saying that to make me feel better._

Nova smirked. "Wanna bet? We could call Jeremy and see what he says," she half-threatened, reaching for her comm laying on the table. Rin scrambled, knocking the comm out of reach, Shadow jolting awake at the noise.

Nova laughed. "Okay, okay. I won't call, I promise." She called Shadow over to her, picking the bouncing puppy up and setting her in her lap. "Serious question though—"

Rin groaned inwardly. Not the 'serious question' again.

"—if he asked, would you marry him?"

_Why do you ask that every time I'm interested in a guy?_

"Because we live out in the boonies of space and don't have the luxury of casual flings. But really it's because not enough girls ask themselves that question."

_Or maybe because your dad asks you that every time you look at a guy?_

"Touché. However, my question still stands. After all, it helped you realize three years ago that Tyrik wasn't the right guy for you."

Rin shook her head. _No, I broke it off when I realized all he wanted was sex instead of getting to know me. I learned my lesson. _He wasn't a bad guy, but their personalities were completely different. And if she were honest with herself, she'd been using sex to try and mend that divide until it had finally dawned on her she could leave him and be happy.

If Gabriel really did like her, maybe that was why he'd never warmed up to Tyrik. Come to think of it, he'd kind of disappeared while she'd dated the guy…

"Don't dodge the question. You guys have been friends since you were little and obviously care about each other. You should think about what you're going to do _if _one you ever makes a move and you two decide to become serious… as gross as that is."

Rin rolled her eyes and scribbled down her response. _He's not that ugly._

Nova snorted. "Please. He may have the body of a Greek god, but he's also bald, has scary eyes and looks like a crab was grafted onto his mouth. No amount of true love's kisses or scientific voodoo is going to change him into a handsome prince. He's not human, Rin. Plus… you won't be able to have kids and I know you wanted a few, right?"

She didn't reply, trying to process the implications of letting herself fall in love with her best friend. What would her father think? Could she give up having children? How would people treat her? Did she care? On and on the questions tumbled inside her until her head began to ache. Rin grabbed her drink and took a sip, wondering what had happened to her carefree childhood, when friends were just friends and boys were only interested in playing war and pirate games. _I don't know, Nova. I need to think about everything._

Her friend leaned over and hugged her. "Don't worry about it all at once. You've got at least half-a-week till he gets back."

Rin sighed and gave a weak smile. It was going to be the longest five days of her life and even then she wasn't sure she had the guts to talk to Gabriel about her feelings.

**~\'/~**

She wandered aimlessly through the aisles of Ephrim's store, picking up objects and setting them back down without really looking at them, gently tugging on Shadow's leash whenever she tried to gnaw on a box on one of the lower shelves. Nova's theory had suddenly put everything into a whole new perspective and Rin was reeling. She knew Gabriel. Knew his strengths, his weaknesses, his fears. How could she have been so blind?

The memories from the past couple years tumbled through her head, an embarrassing parade of misinterpreted gestures and unconscious flirtations. She was _such_ an idiot. She grabbed a small bag of chocolate, not even bothering to look at the price marker. Her face felt flush, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. What was wrong with her? Nova could be wrong and she was just blowing everything out of proportion. Rin headed to the checkout counter and handed Ephrim her credit wand, ducking out as quickly as she could before he could ask what was wrong.

Shadow pawed and licked at her hands while she unhooked her leash, oblivious to her owner's inner turmoil. The cool morning air felt good against Rin's burning skin, a dry wind kicking orange dust against her boots. She tucked the chocolate in her satchel and zipped up her jacket, keeping her head down as she headed for the bridge arching over the Blue River, her puppy happily trotting alongside.

Lost in thought, Rin crashed into a thick chest, large hands instinctively steadying her. She pulled her hands out of her pockets to apologize, stopping short as she stared up into the scowling face of Korwin Young. "Well, well, well… if it isn't Rin Harris." She winced as his grip tightened around her arms. "You know, you caused my little brother a lot of pain and got us banned from the only bar within 3,000 kilometers."

Rin kicked him in the shins and tried to jerk herself free. Korwin barely grimaced, his handsome face darkening as he stared down at her. "That wasn't a smart idea, girl." She let out a cry, the way her father had taught her in case she was ever in trouble. Korwin's smacked her across the face, sending her head spinning and black dots across her vision. Her cheek burned and began to swell. "Another bad idea," he breathed into her face. Through tear-filled eyes, she stared at her terrified face reflected within his dilated pupils, the huge black orbs swallowing her courage. His eyes burned red, the whites of his eyes consumed by swollen blood vessels. Her breath caught in her throat. _Sangre del Diablo. _A toxic drug that could induce paranoia and violent mood swings. The normally cool and collected Korwin who limited his arrogance to sly remarks and overt flirtation had transformed. This was a man out for blood, a monster set loose.

He let go of one arm and turned, kicking her barking puppy across the dirt road, her black body sailing through the air and crumpling to the ground in a tiny heap. Rin fought to free herself. _Shadow!_

He sneered as he returned his attention to her, his handsome face twisting with hate. "It's all your fault. And your stupid father's," he spat. "The whole settlement treats us like pariahs. No one'll hire us. Meanwhile that alien fucker still has a job and goes where he pleases." Rin squeaked in pain as he twisted her arm and pulled her close to his face, his breath rank with whiskey. "He's got a soft spot for you, doesn't he?" Korwin didn't bother waiting for her answer, dragging her into the small forest by the road, the trees and bushes still thick with leaves. She kicked and twisted, digging her heels into the dirt, faint whimpers escaping her throat. Korwin's grip on her arm was like iron and the more she struggled the tighter it became, her arm slowly losing feeling. He threw her to the ground, pinning her wrists and straddling her hips. She squirmed beneath his crushing weight, tears trickling down the sides of her face.

Pain pierced her jaw as Korwin grabbed her cheeks with one hand, his fingers digging into the sides of her face and squeezing her trembling lips together. His blood red eyes bore down into hers. "Don't scream. It'll only be worse if you do."

One hand locked her wrists together and held them above her head while his other hand began to rip at her pants, his weight crushing her knees. Terror lanced through her as his fingers grabbed the edges of her pants and underwear and wrenched them down her thighs, exposing her to the cold. She squeezed her eyes shut, every muscle in her body going rigid as his hand slid over her thigh, his nails digging into her curly hair. Rin flinched as he pressed himself on top of her, his tongue licking her exposed neck while his fingers slid between her lower lips, inching inside of her tight opening.

Suddenly Korwin was torn off of her and Rin snapped open her eyes in time to see Jeremy drag him to the ground and slam his fist into his face. He was yelling something to her as he fought, a solid cross from the Young brother knocking Jeremy back. The two men traded vicious blows and Rin scrambled to pull on her pants, her hands shaking as she fumbled with the buttons.

As soon as she'd finished, Korwin threw Jeremy off and he scrambled to his feet, fumbling for something strapped to his belt. Rin, frozen where she stood, watched in horror as Korwin whipped out a pistol and pointed it at Jeremy as he staggered upright. Both men's faces and shirts were covered in blood. Korwin spat a mouthful of his onto the ground. "Don't move, Jeremy," he growled, slowly swiveling his arm until it was pointed at Rin. "Or the bar bitch dies. And I don't think you want her blood on your hands."

Jeremy glared at him, his brown eyes filled with hatred. He hissed something too quick for Rin to understand. Korwin glared and swung his gun back on Jeremy. "Take out your pistol, Wan! I know you have one. Bring it out slowly and drop it."

Jeremy never broke eye contact, slowly reaching inside his jacket and pulling out a silver pistol, holding it out in front of him for a moment before dropping it. He started moving sideways, Korwin's gun following Jeremy's halting shuffle until he'd placed himself between Rin and Korwin. Korwin laughed and cocked his weapon. Rin felt Jeremy tense and she grabbed the back of his jacket, silently praying they would make it out alive.

Suddenly Jeremy spun, knocking her to ground and falling on top of her. Rin couldn't see Korwin, Jeremy's broad shoulders and arms blocking her vision. His head hovered over hers, his face contorted in pain.

Korwin's snarling face appeared over his shoulder, his shaking hand aimed directly at the back of Jeremy's head. Rin didn't think. She just threw an arm around Jeremy's head and held up her hand. "No!"

The gun's hammer snapped and Rin flinched.

When she opened her eyes, Korwin's brows were knitted in confusion. He started cursing and snapping the trigger. Nothing.

Jeremy rolled off of her and scrambled for his gun, Korwin lunging after him. Like a rabid animal, he clawed at his hair and bit into his wounded shoulder. The anguish in Jeremy's face snapped Rin into motion and she darted past the two men thrashing on the ground.

The silver gun felt heavy. She fumbled with the safety mechanism as she backed away from the brawl, her hands shaking as she lifted it in front of her. Her arms shook in terror. She'd never held a gun. "Kor… korin." Rin's throat felt tight, like she was talking through a straw. She swallowed and tried again. "Korwin… Korwin!"

The man's head snapped up, his bloody fist hanging in the air. Jeremy lay beneath him, barely conscious or recognizable beneath the mask of blood covering his face. Korwin looked at the gun and then back to her. A wild grin slithered across his face and he began to laugh. The thing that was Korwin rose to his feet, the mad energy racing through him making him twitch and jerk. "You ain't gonna shoot me, bar bitch."

Rin took a hesitant step back, his red eyes boring into her. Bloody fingers reached for the pistol. "You don't want that on your conscience, do you?"

He was getting too close. Dammit, why couldn't she pull the trigger!? Her finger closed around it, a wave of nausea choking her. _You can do this. _

Korwin edged closer, his smile fading. "What are you doing?"

_On the count of three. _She planted her back foot. _One. _

Korwin stopped, rage contorting his face.

_Two._

With a curse, Korwin turned and ran, grabbing his gun off the ground. Stunned, Rin watched him disappear into the brush.

_Three…_ she let go of the breath she'd been holding, slowly lowering the gun. Large hands suddenly engulfed her shoulders and she flinched, desperately swinging the pistol around. A startled Ephrim backed away, hands up, his bushy white eyebrows bunched together in concern and horror.

Rin dropped the gun and ran into his arms, weeping in relief.

With his help, they shouldered Jeremy out of the woods and across the bridge.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of angry faces and gleaming rifles. Jeremy was taken to the Santillos' clinic, while she was escorted to the sheriff's office and forced to relive the ordeal, the nightmarish memory seared into her mind each time she recounted the sordid details to Brady and his deputies.

Nova finally rescued her, taking her to Maira to make sure she wasn't hurt. The men of the town, including her father, went in search for Korwin, so the Santillos insisted the two girls stay the night with them. Rin's sandwich sat untouched on her plate while Dr. Juaqin explained to them that Jeremy would recover soon. A broken nose. A few cuts and bruises. And the bullet had only grazed the side of his shoulder, nothing a few weeks of rest and painkillers couldn't handle. Thankfully Korwin's gun had jammed after the first shot, he'd said. Maira called for his assistance and he left the two of them to eat. Nova had wanted to talk but Rin hadn't felt like it, curling up on one of the couches with Jonesy instead. Shadow was with the veterinarian. They were going to monitor her overnight. Cracked ribs. Or something. There had been tears in her eyes when the vet had been explaining everything so she wasn't sure.

After several hours, Rin sunk into a restless sleep. Nightmare after nightmare forced her awake and she huddled under the blankets, Korwin's burning red eyes staring back at her from every shadow until she couldn't take it anymore.

Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she crept through the living room and kitchen, Jonesy hopping off the couch and padding along behind. Quietly, she slipped into Gabriel's room, locked the door and curled up in his giant bed, the pudgy chocolate lab laying at her feet. Rin hugged the large pillow against her chest, breathing in the familiar smells of rum and embers, his scent soothing. One by one, her walls came down and she let the sorrow she'd been holding back during the interrogation and physical exam pour out until her head and chest ached, exhaustion eventually dragging her into a dreamless slumber.


	8. Hunting the Hunters

**Hunting the Hunters**

The settlement of Derrigan was in an uproar by the time to the two agents arrived.

Hundreds of protesters, mostly miners, swarmed angrily about the entrance to the head office, chanting slogans and shouting over the PR agent trying to address them from the steps. Planetary Police Force carrying sonic pulse rifles and shock mauls manned a blockade to keep unauthorized personnel from approaching the building, their black visors scanning the crowd for potential troublemakers.

Sung and Lyra watched from above as their craft descended, skipping the tense sea of humanity and landing right on top of the building. Armed guards escorted them from the landing pad, guiding them to the conference chambers below. Several civilians rose to greet them as soon as they entered, shaking their hands and looking relieved at their presence. The PPF officers offered curt nods and stiff handshakes. They weren't pleased about the fact that outsiders were being called in. This was their city and they should have exclusive jurisdiction.

The last person to shake hands with them was an older woman with black, coifed hair and elegant cream-colored jacket and skirt. "I'm Chau Linh Vang, Deputy Director. Thank you for coming."

Sung bowed his head slightly, a habit he'd never really been able to break. "Sung Lee. This is my partner, Lyra Andrews."

Once everyone was seated, Chau darkened the room and pulled out a holosphere, breaking it into several smaller data orbs that slowly circled their parent unit. "As you know, several more men and a woman were killed in the mines only a few hours ago. Like the first two murders, we lost communication with our personnel. This time though, the elevator was sabotaged. Nobody could get in or out."

"Did any of the vid feeds capture anything?" Sung asked.

Chau shook her head. "No. A few minutes before the killing started, everything went down. Even our radios." Everyone glanced over at the pale young man sitting at the far end of the group. "However, Damian managed to patch us through and we have some audio you should hear."

Sung folded his hands and leaned forward, letting Lyra scan the crowd's reaction. Static hiss filled the room, a man's voice cutting in and out, swears and screams echoing in the background. "_Where the hell is it?! Cheng, where— Run, godammit!— Shit! Cheng, behind you!—" _The next minute was filled with more screams and labored breathing, the man fleeing for his life as his colleagues were tracked down and murdered one by one.

Chau reached over and paused the recording. "This goes on for half an hour. I'm fast forwarding to the end. You'll find this interesting." She pressed play.

The screams were gone, replaced with a horrifying quiet. The man began to whisper. "_This is Wade. C-can anybody hear me?… Please. Someone answer..."_ The man began to weep and shut off his comm. When Wade returned, his voice was trembling with fear. "_Oh God… I hear it… It's not human, it's not human, it's no— Wait, no! No please! NOOO—"_

Several people winced and covered their mouths as the sound of splitting flesh and gurgling moans filled the room. Sung's hackles rose as an ominous raspy chatter filled the room for a moment. The holograms dissolved and the lights slowly came back on. Everyone was now staring at the two agents. "Well," asked Chau. "What do you make of this?"

Sung straightened, going over the bullshit lines he'd fed dozens of people over the years. He wondered what would happen if he ever told anyone the truth. He recalled his training – the only thing better than lying, was telling half-truths, enough to where even you believed yourself. "What you have is a very sophisticated, very intelligent and very evil serial killer on your hands. We've been after him for quite some time."

"A serial killer? But everyone killed in the mines were of completely different ethnic backgrounds, not to mention different birthworlds. What's his deal?" asked one of the officers.

Lyra spoke up. "The killer we're looking for operates within a very specific set of parameters. He prefers outlying worlds and will embed himself into the culture for a set period of time, allowing him to plan his murders. Once he's ready, the killing continues until he's almost caught."

"Almost?" Chau's brow furrowed with concerned. "How many times has he evaded capture?"

"One too many," said Sung. "But this time is different."

"How so?"

"He's gotten greedy. Took out too many people in one go in a short period of time." He nodded towards Damian. "And your tech guy managed to override his jamming signal."

Sergeant Elbrin leaned in, a gaunt, older man who looked as if he'd never smiled a day in his life. "You're implying that it's one of our own. A miner or systems operator."

Sung nodded. "I am."

Elbrin's eyes narrowed, reminding him of a snake. "There's an angry mob out there. If we tell them one of their friends or co-workers is a blood-thirsty killer there will be mass paranoia."

"Wait a minute," cut in Lyra. "What do those people think is going on?"

Chau looked down, the guilt on her face plain. "They believe there have been several cave-ins. They're protesting the unsafe work conditions."

"The point is, it keeps people out of the mines without inducing a panic," said Elbrin.

_They're doing our job for us,_ thought Sung. _Close down one mine, keep the others in operation and try to find the killer before he escapes or targets another. Nebular Enterprises stays in business while regular people lose their daily paychecks. _"You'll have a panic if he decides to target a different shaft."

"What do you need from us to help find him?" asked Chau.

"Every single piece of evidence you have and unlimited access to your facilities," said Sung.

Lyra watched her partner as he began issuing orders. Calm, cool and confident. The agent she knew and respected and, if she'd let herself, maybe even grow to love. But she'd made that mistake with Kurtz. And Sung wasn't without his demons. Beneath the professional veneer, she sensed the avenger burning inside him, restless. They were so close to taking down the Hunter. Her comm buzzed and she excused herself to the restroom, ignoring Sung's watchful gaze as she stepped out of the room.

Lyra slid the latch in place and took the call. "Yes?" She waited for several long moments as inter-system relays transmitted her message.

"We received your message, Agent Andrews. A squad has been deployed and will arrive in Derrigan in five standard days. Do you have the targets' hideout located yet?"

"No, but we're close. Six more were killed just hours ago. With police and an angry mob around, I doubt it's going anywhere soon."

"Keep us updated."

"Yes sir." The call disconnected and Lyra stood in the stall for a moment, wondering how she was going to tell her partner and how she was going to cover for him. He'd said not to contact headquarters until they'd found the creature's ship. But by then it might be too late. And she knew what he really wanted. _I'm sorry, Sung. But people's lives are at stake._ She took a deep breath and returned to the conference room.

**~\'/~**

_A short while earlier…_

Amongst the thick jungle foliage, a blurred shadow crouched, watching the angry swarm challenge the authority of the arbitrators. The rank stench of tension wafted from below and he growled. He wondered what would happen if he jumped into the middle of them and began cutting them down with his spear. He chuckled, the sound a low, chattering rasp. They would probably scream and run, trampling each other in a mad frenzy to get away. The warriors might put up an interesting fight, although they'd disappointed him earlier. He'd laid what he'd thought was a very obvious trail to the two other bodies. Instead, in an irrational and amusing twist, they'd killed a pack of predators.

The rituals to the Dark God complete, he'd wandered across the moon world, hunting interesting prey, reveling in the fear and blood. But the cry of the ghost haunted his footsteps and he'd searched in vain amongst the mountains for a sign of his quarry. Frustrated, he'd returned to the alien settlement to vent his anger.

The keening sigh of a ship shook the trees as it descended and he watched it head straight for the alien structure, landing on top. He zoomed in, curious as to who would merit such an honor. A male and female stepped out, their strange, identical garments instantly familiar. He'd watched this pair of arbitrators examine the blood of his first kill. They were calm, quiet and methodical, and had even managed to find the blood and an object belonging to his fourth kill. The young female had wisely left the bumbling older male to his fate but had foolishly kept to the path.

He'd let the pair live, interested in their hunt. They searched for him, this he was certain of.

He'd enjoyed the challenge of infiltrating the mines. The claustrophobic maze below had made for an exciting hunt, allowing for his prey to run and hide. But with the aliens' two high arbiters here, he would not try a third time. They would be expecting that.

No, he thought as he watched the lower arbitrators escort them out of sight. He would lure them away from the safety of numbers, to a place that would test their strength and will. There, he would take their measure and, if they proved worthy, their skulls.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thanks to RinaRnD and AAEdmonds for following and favoriting. By the way, did you notice the review box? Look at it, all sad and empty. All it wants is a review. That's all. Without it, the poor little review box will starve. And die.

Jk, but in all seriousness, I would like your opinion. Ya'll are just so darn quiet it makes me wonder.


	9. Founding Day

**Author's Note:** This is going to be a long-ish one so bear with me.

CallowWanderlust, your idea is brilliant, health bars for review boxes should totally be a thing! And yes, your feedback is important to me even if you don't think it is. It keeps me motivated :)

(Also thanks to pinknose1!)

Now, as for this uncooperative chapter… *drums fingers across the desk*

Because I don't want to break the rules (even though everyone else is doing it) I've decided that if you want the smut for this chapter you will have to give me your soul (and email address) in a PM and I will link you to the google doc. If you don't care about smut, that's fine, because 91 percent of the chapter will be same.

Choose wisely! *evil laughter*

* * *

**Founding Day**

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

Rin raised an eyebrow at her friend.

Nova sighed and muttered something under her breath as she dipped her brush into the red paint. Rin closed her eyes, inhaling softly as the cool fluid was daubed around her eyes, the gentle brush strokes soothing. She tried to relax as Nova painted the red band across her face, but the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't let her settle. Today was Founding Day, which meant Gabriel was returning to Eladoro. And she had a plan.

Well, sort of.

It was less of a plan and more of a decision. She'd let Nova iron out the details – outfit, hairstyle, jewelry. Things that Rin had never really mastered. The best she could do was a ponytail. It was a historical fact that ponytails would never go out of style.

Nova hadn't exactly been enthusiastic about her decision to confront Gabriel, but she wasn't talking her out of it either. She was worried. It was natural. Although she could use the lighthearted Nova she was used to, Rin thought. Tight-lipped and agitated Nova was starting to make her doubt herself. The butterflies re-doubled their panicked efforts and she started feeling slightly queasy.

Her friend lifted her chin, the brush slipping from the bottom of her lip to the bottom of her chin. White lines outlined the red bands across her eyes and jaw, Nova blowing on the paint to help it dry faster. She shook Rin's shoulder to let her know she was finished and Rin blinked as she opened her eyes, the cool paint heavy against her skin. Nova sported elegant orange swirls on her cheeks and white dots around her eyes, her loosely plaited hair falling down her back in golden waves. Rin's hair had refused to cooperate and in the end even Nova had had to admit defeat. She wished she had straight hair.

She grabbed her datapad and flipped it around, tightly gripping the edges in case Nova decided to take it again.

"'Why aren't you lecturing me? I know you want to,'" read Nova, her frown deepening. "Yeah, you're right. I want to tell you how this may not be the smartest idea right now. You were almost raped, Rin. I think you're rushing things."

_I'm telling him how I feel. What harm is there in that?_

"I know, but… are you sure it's not just a crush?"

Rin glared and started scribbling a reply on her data pad, Nova's hand gently grabbing hers. Instinctively, she jerked her pad away. When she looked up, her friend was laughing. Nova pulled her hand back. "I'm just teasing. You're so easy, Rin."

Rin huffed and stuck her tongue out for good measure, but inside she was grinning. This was the friend she knew.

Nova returned the gesture.

_One day I'll get you back._

"Ha, doubt it. Now, let's go over what you're going to do," she said, crossing her legs and scooching forward to adjust Rin's outfit and wild hair. They went over the plan, butterflies beginning to flare inside her stomach again as she glanced up at the dual clock on the wall. It was midday. Gabriel would be here soon.

**~\'/~**

Ixion was beginning to set when Gabriel finally set eyes on Eladoro, the blazing orange ball of light casting deep shadows over the settlement nestled between the mesas. He paused at the top of a large hillock and breathed deeply, the cool wind carrying the scent of zarok stew and smoke from the bonfires. Cucumber stirred beside him, squawking and stomping in anticipation, his breath coming in pale puffs of steam. Gabriel patted the lonma's neck, rumbling. Cucumber was loaded with most of the equipment and spoils of Gabriel's hunt, but he bore it without complaint. They'd been traveling for nearly two Navarran days and the lonma were eager to rest in their home stalls. Gabriel let out two sharp clicks and the lonma burst forward, trotting as fast as their burdens allowed them.

As usual, Luke was the first to spot him. This time though, he rode out to greet him on the newest addition to the Ferguson's modest group of lonma, Lightning, a gift for his 10th birthday a few months ago. The young lonma crowed a greeting as he bounded up to the two older mounts, his crest flaring in excitement. Rasha and Cucumber chirped and warbled as Gabriel tugged on their reins to keep them from nipping at the boy. Luke circled around to Gabriel's right, pulling Lightning alongside Rasha. "Hey Gabriel! What'd you get this time?"

Gabriel detached his rebreather and clipped it to his belt, taking several deep breaths to orient himself. Dozens of smells permeated the air and the closer they drew to the settlement, the stronger they became. "Lots of things." It felt strange to talk after many days of silence.

"Like a dire cat?" Luke's eyes shone with excitement.

Gabriel chuckled, his laughter like boulders tumbling and crashing down the side of a mountain. "Not this time."

"A foxwolf?"

He shook his head.

Luke frowned. "A water dragon?"

Gabriel patted his shoulder. "Better. I got things we can eat."

"Ugh, I don't want any more karrow. It's not karrow is it?"

Gabriel snorted. "Of course not."

Luke grinned. "You ready for the arm wrestling competition?"

"Is it a competition if I win every time?"

Luke's grin widened. "Can I try this year?"

"No."

"What?! Why? I'm ten now."

"'Cause you'd beat me."

Luke laughed and challenged him to a race, Lightning bolting down the hill before Gabriel could even answer. Sensing the competition, Rasha and Cucumber flew after him as fast they could, Gabriel trying to rein them in to keep the furs and meat from flying everywhere. Naturally, Luke beat him, the boy and his lonma crowing triumphantly when the trio finally made it to the edge of the settlement.

Gabriel reined his lonma to a halt, his claws digging into leather straps and palms of his hands as the sweet perfume of female pheromones and the heavy musk of the men wafted through the air. A strange buzzing sound filled his ears. Heat flared across his chest and arms as his hearts began to thunder. He could smell them. He could smell all of them.

"…ey. Hey, Gabriel."

The buzzing noise disappeared and he snapped his attention to Luke, who was staring at him.

"What's wrong with your arms? They're all green. Are you bleeding?"

He looked down himself, his eyes widening in surprise. Tiny slivers of white light curled and twisted over his shoulders and down his arms, his skin puckering and tingling wherever the coruscating vessels pulsed beneath his skin.

"Cool, they're like glow-in-the-dark tattoos. I didn't know you could do that."

_Neither did I._ He dismounted, tugging his thick, leather jacket free from one of Rasha's satchels, quickly slipping it on. People had begun to notice his arrival and the last thing he wanted was the wrong kind of attention.

"Why are you covering them up?"

"It's cold," Gabriel snapped. Luke's smile disappeared and he instantly regretted his outburst. "Sorry. Just tired. Go play. I have to see Mr. Chandler."

"Okay." Luke trotted off, Gabriel watching him while he made his way to Ephrim's store. He unloaded most of the meat into the back freezers, answering the manager's questions with sharp clicks and grunts. The buzzing had returned, along with a sharp, painful throbbing inside his skull, the searing heat traveling down his spine and across his shoulders. His arms and chest itched, the veins beginning to push through his skin. He felt ten times worse than he had in the mountains. An irrational anger gnawed at his temples, his claws unconsciously flexing by his sides. He paused at the edge of the festivities, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of noise and heat. Gabriel tried to slow his breathing and slipped on his re-breather to mitigate the smells assaulting him.

Slowly, he guided Rasha and Cucumber through the throng of people, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. The heat of a thousand bodies and the towering bonfires, combined with his jacket, was almost unbearable. The crowd swirled around him, pressing in, his hackles rising each time someone darted in front of him. He dropped off the lonma at the town stables, making sure they were taken care of before leaving.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ Maybe he was sick. He glanced over the heads of the crowd, the butte his parents shared with several other families not far. He could make it. Just as long as no one—

"Hey, Gabriel!"

He huffed, his shoulders slumping. So much for trying to slip away unnoticed.

"Gabriel." Slightly drunk Jeremy staggered his way through the crowd, stumbling to a halt in front of Gabriel and cutting him off from his escape. "You're back! Just in time. Quinn thinks he can take you this year," he said while trying to wrap an arm around Gabriel's shoulder and guide him towards the large group of men gathered about a wooden table.

"Quinn always says that," growled Gabriel, Jeremy futilely trying to shove him forward.

"Geez, you're like a boulder. Come on, they're all waitin'-"

Gabriel grabbed Jeremy's good arm, the other tucked inside a sling. "What happened to you?"

Jeremy staggered, dancing on his toes. "Jesus, Gabriel! Put me down!"

Gabriel obliged, glaring while his friend adjusted the sling cradling his left arm. There were stitches across his friend's brow and several bruises.

"What, this?" Jeremy shrugged his injured shoulder. "Pfft, it's nothing. Tornado threw me and I fractured my arm. No big deal. You parents said I'll be good in a few weeks."

Gabriel grunted. Well that was a lie. Nothing startled Tornado. "What about your face?"

"What? I can't understand you with your mask on."

The mask came off with a hissing pop but when Gabriel looked up Jeremy was making for the table and waving him over. The men waiting saw Gabriel and lifted their drinks in a hearty welcome as he followed his friend, tensing as the crowd began edge closer. The men pushed and shoved at their companions to be the first to take him on, shouting good natured bets at each other. The arm-wrestling competition had started several years ago when Gabriel had still been just a teenager. Even then, he'd still been stronger than all the other men.

"Alright ya cowards, who's taking on Gabriel first?" Quinn Holbrook shouted. The blonde-haired, burly man was Markus' oldest. He was also the only one who'd come close to beating Gabriel. But that was only because he'd been slightly drunk at the time. Quinn had been trying to beat him for years now. It was all in good fun though.

"You first, Holbrook," someone shouted from the back. The men laughed.

"Uh-uh, I'm saving the best for last."

Jeers went up, someone accusing him of waiting till Gabriel was tired out. Finally, someone took the chair across from him. His name was Jamir, if Gabriel remembered correctly. They locked hands, their free hands gripping the edge of the rounded table. Gabriel's hackles rose, the shouts of the men sending shards of electricity over his skin. Sweat soaked his shirt, his tendrils contracting and twisting inside their sockets as heat bled from his pounding skull. But he didn't dare take off his jacket.

"The rules are simple: whoever lasts the longest against Gabriel, wins. And you only get one shot. No rematches. Ready... go!" shouted Quinn.

Gabriel slammed Jamir's hand against the table. The men roared with laughter and approval.

"Next victim- I mean opponent," called Quinn, earning a few laughs from the crowd.

One by one, the challengers stepped up, Gabriel going easy on those who were obviously just doing it for the fun of it, while making sure the cocky ones woke up with a sore hand the next morning. Leandro, one of Eladora's deputies, and Ezequiel, a communications officer, put up the best fights, but even they were no match.

Eventually, Jeremy stepped up, his friends slapping him on the back. "My right arm's still good," he announced, his smirk morphing into his trademark wildcat grin. He missed Quinn's cue and Jeremy pushed him down, the crowd exploding in excitement. Gabriel clenched his arm and with a sharp bark, shoved Jeremy's hand against the table. As Jeremy left he shook his hand, grinning and wondering aloud if he needed another sling.

Quinn patted him on the back as he joined the crowd before taking the chair opposite Gabriel, his expression all business. They stared each other down, Gabriel trying to focus for the confrontation. Quinn was strong. He couldn't take him lightly. They clasped hands, neither breaking eye contact. They squeezed each other's palms as Quinn's brother Kale counted down, the men and women cheering for either him or Quinn.

For a brief moment, the sea of bodies behind Quinn parted and Gabriel's breath ripped away from his lungs. Silhouetted by the flickering light of the bonfires, Rin stared back at him, her outfit doing little to hide her supple figure. Time slowed, Gabriel mesmerized by her bright eyes that burned from within the dark, red band across her face. Shards of light and shadow danced across her bare shoulders, her black tights and leather boots clinging to her legs.

Pain shot up Gabriel's hand and he looked down, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The crowd exploded, Quinn staring at him in shock. The man began to protest, calling for a rematch.

Gabriel couldn't believe it. _I... lost._

"Hang on, I want a rematch, Santillo! You weren't paying attention."

"Uh, Quinn, rematches aren't allowed, remember?" Kale reminded his older brother.

Quinn grimaced and rose. "Next year, Santillo."

Gabriel growled and left, Jeremy shouting back as he followed after him. "Enjoy your win, Quinn! It's the only one you'll ever get!" He caught up to Gabriel, whistling a random tune. "So you lost, huh?"

Gabriel grunted.

"What happened?"

He shrugged, ignoring Jeremy's narrowed gaze."Well, we can always say Kale rigged the count in favor of his brother and you were worn out from all the other matches."

"Hey, dread head and sidekick, wait up!"

The pair turned, both frowning, but for very different reasons.

"I will have you know, that as the brains and the best looking, _I_ am the hero." Jeremy jabbed his good thumb at his slightly puffed out chest. Nova rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling as she sashayed up to them. Gabriel took a small step back and lowered his gaze to the ground as Nova tugged Rin into view. His world contracted, bringing Rin into sharp focus while the background blurred into a writhing crimson glow. Shame and lust filled him as his loins stirred, unable to resist glancing at her wide hips and plump breasts.

"So, you guys wanna get something to eat?"

"Heck, yeah. I'm starving," said Jeremy, throwing his good arm around Nova's shoulders and stealing a kiss before she could react. Nova blushed and shoved him away, ducking behind Rin to escape.

Rin grinned, silently laughing as the two ran circles around her, Nova using her as a shield against Jeremy's affections.

The two had bonded instantly the day after the attack. Nova had excused herself from Rin's company for a moment to go thank Jeremy for saving her before he left to go home. After an hour had passed, Rin had become worried and went looking for her friend. To her great surprise and amusement, she'd found the two animatedly chatting and laughing, oblivious to her presence. She'd silently backed away, deciding not to interfere. Nova had profusely apologized a few hours later for losing track of time. Rin hadn't been able to resist her chance to tease her friend. _So when's your next date?_

Nova scoffed. "Pfft, please, date. There's no date. We- we just talked. That's all."

_For three hours._

Nova's cheeks burned scarlet against her pale skin. "We're just gonna go watch one of the new movies in the hangar deck..."

_I thought you said you had no interest in guys like Jeremy?_

"Well... he's not like I thought he was. I mean, I've never hung out with him and he was homeschooled, plus the things other girls would say about him... But he's not like that at all. He's..." she struggled for the right words. "He's funny. And he thinks I'm funny. And..." She shrugged. "I don't know what happened."

Jeremy finally managed to corral Nova after Rin ducked down and hugged her knees. She grinned as she stood, watching the pair verbally spar, wishing she could understand what they were saying. She turned to explain to Gabriel what had happened and her hands froze.

He was gone.

**~\'/~**

Gabriel's skin burned as he quickly made his way to where he'd left Rasha, shoving a man, he didn't know who, out of the way. He didn't know if it was losing the competition, seeing Rin or watching Jeremy steal another heart, but he knew one thing: he couldn't stay in Eladoro another minute. He'd made a terrible mistake coming back. He tore open the stall door and jumped onto Rasha before anyone could stop him.

He'd made it to the edge of town when another rider pulled up beside him, cutting their lonma sharply across his path. Gabriel snapped the reins taut, Rasha shrieking as she reared, clawed toes batting at the air. He swung her around, preparing to give whoever had done such a stupid thing a piece of his mind.

The words died in his throat as it filled with the familiar scent of freshly turned earth and jasmine. Rin reined in Cucumber, holding him steady, her eyes locked on Gabriel. The wind kicked up, whistling over the high grass and fluttering through the bright streams of her wild hair. We need to talk.

_Rin, no. I can't—_

She spread her fingers into an upturned "Y" and sharply dropped her hands. _Now._ Rin clucked twice, Cucumber chirping and galloping off.

Rasha snorted and stamped, eager to chase after. He ignored the warning sirens in the back of his mind and dug his heels into his lonma's flank, racing after her. Rin wanted to talk. So they would talk. Besides, wasn't this what Brother John had said he needed to do?

Gabriel slowed when he realized where she was leading him, watching her ride up the hill and disappear into the grove of trees surrounding her home. He found Cucumber tied to a tree and he slid off Rasha, leaving her next to him. "Stay," he growled. She snorted, her glittering copper eyes promising nothing. He rumbled and turned to face the entrance to Rin's garden.

Deciduous trees shielded it from the outside world, a narrow dirt path winding between their thick roots. Amongst the wet moss and silverbells, he could smell her waiting for him, her agitation and impatience sending a warm shudder through him. Gabriel clenched his fists and lowered his gaze, striding forward. It wasn't how he'd imagined telling her, but it was now or never.

He found her at the edge of the waterfall, her boots tossed aside. He kicked his off as well, the cool sand a welcome relief to the burning pain that churned through his veins. There was no light save for the stars, but Gabriel could see every detail. Every gesture Rin made stood in stark contrast to the violet waters and burgundy plants, her body a beacon to his soul. Something stirred in him as Rin turned to face him, a primal confidence that surged through his loins. The dark desire materialized from the depths of his psyche: she was alone. How easy it would be to rip off her thin garments and take her. Make her his. Make her scream as he exuded his will-

Gabriel froze just a few paces from Rin, silently cursing himself and his lack of control. He resolved to remain still no matter what, like the game they used to play, 'Stone Face.' The goal had been to make the other laugh. Tonight, his goal was to protect Rin.

His skin burned, sweat soaking into the fleece lining of his leather jacket. This close her scent was intoxicating. She was at the peak of fertility, primed and receptive.

_Gabriel, I need to tell you something very important._ She rubbed her thumbs and forefingers together, a nervous habit of hers. _The last few weeks have been very confusing and... and I had this whole speech made up but now I can't remember it. I- I just couldn't let you leave tonight without telling you how I feel... about you._

Every muscle in his body clenched, Gabriel's hearts hammering inside chest. What did she mean? She couldn't mean... no, it wasn't possible.

_I realized something after you left Eladoro. I realized that I cared about you as more than a friend. I... I love you, Gabriel._

The air ripped from Gabriel's lungs and he nearly staggered back. She waited for him to respond, shifting anxiously as the seconds ticked by. He couldn't move. He could barely breathe. A wave of disbelief shivered through his legs and he collapsed to a crouch, guttural gasps morphing into laughter. Gabriel felt lightheaded. She loved him. How many times had he desperately wanted to see those words slip from her hands?

His euphoria was quickly replaced with pain as Rin stepped forward. Gabriel barked a warning and held up his hand. The knowledge of her desire had only intensified his rut, his instinctual need to mate in overdrive. Not only was there a lone female at the peak of fertility nearby, she desired him.

Heaving gasps wracked his chest as he stood, his groin on fire as it swelled. Gabriel's hands trembled as he signed, but at this point he didn't care. He would tell her what he could and then leave. He couldn't bear the thought of hurting or driving her away. _Rin..._ Shit, where did he start? _I've been wanting to tell you the same thing... for a long time. But it looks like you beat me to it._

A smile pricked the corners of her mouth, but her brows remained furrowed in concern as she watched him struggle to form a coherent sentence.

Her smell was everywhere and his vision had begun to throb in time with his pulse. _There are a lot reasons why I didn't tell you... I can't really remember them right now... but the most important is this._ He slowly removed his jacket, rumbling in relief as he tore the wet, sucking fabric from his arms.

Rin's eyes widened in shock and even Gabriel was taken aback. The tiny, glittering veins of light had transformed into thick, glowing vines that twisted and curled over his shoulders and arms. He felt them winding down his back and thighs, a few tendrils slowly crawling their way up the back of his neck and sides of his cheeks. The cool night air doused his burning skin, steam rising from his flesh.

_Gabriel, what is that? Are you hurt?_ She rushed forward and he backpedaled, grunting as he slammed into the uwanu tree.

_No! Stay away._

_Why? You're hurt._

_I'm not hurt, I'm-_ A wave of pain tore through his groin and he slid to the ground.

Rin was hovering over him, cupping his face with her soft hands. Her touch jogged him from his haze, electric tingles prickling over his jaw. _Rin, don't- don't touch me. The rut..._ He grimaced as his abdominal muscles squeezed and twisted. _I can't... I can't fight it. Please- please don't touch me._

She withdrew her hands, but instead of heeding his warning, she knelt on the grass between his legs. _What is 'rut?'_

_Desire... mating season..._

_Mating season..._ she tried out the symbol, rubbing her thumbs and forefingers together thoughtfully.

_Godammit Rin, why aren't you leaving? Go back to town,_ he thought, fighting the urge to grab her by the hair and throw her to the ground, the primal beast lurking within clawing at his sanity, sapping his will. Yet Rin remained, cautious but unafraid.

_Is that why you've been avoiding me?_

Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut, nodding. The buzzing sound had returned, drowning out his rational mind. Don't move. Don't move. Don't move. The mantra tumbled inside his head. The pain, fed by his resistance, seared through him and he dug his claws into the earth, clenching his mandibles against his jaw to keep from snarling.

Gabriel froze as soft fingertips brushed across his cheeks, Rin's scent tinged with perfume filling his mouth and throat until he was drowning in roses and jasmine. He didn't dare open his eyes. Or move, letting her hands explore him, her gentle caresses sending shivers through his core.

His breath caught as she climbed onto him, her hips straddling one of his thighs as she leaned in, her hands pressed against his heaving chest. Gabriel leaned away, the back of his scalp pressing against the uwanu tree. His hearts thundered in chest as she moved in time with him, gently nuzzling his collarbone. Then she kissed him.

Soft lips grazed his exposed neck, their desire becoming more fervent with each caress. Rasping growls wracked Gabriel's body as she licked and nipped at his throat, the sensation making him delirious. Her hands ran over his chest and arms, his glowing veins tingling wherever she caressed.

The next thing he knew, he was tearing Rin's shirt off while she fumbled with his belt buckle, her efforts thwarted as he ripped the fabric from her body.

The night dissolved into a tangle of limbs and cries of bliss, the beast within howling in triumph.

**~\'/~**

The soft pitter-patter of claws against rock pulled him from his pleasant dreams. Gabriel rumbled, his mandibles splaying as he let loose a growling yawn. He rolled over, searching for Rin. When he didn't find her, he sat up, a small yip waking him from his groggy state. Peering over the foot of the bed was the small, black puppy he'd given Rin as gift. She watched him, her head cocked to the side as her large black paws gripped the edge of the blanket at the foot of the bed.

He slid off, crouching to let her smell and remember him. Hesitantly, she wagged her tail in greeting as she approached, feinting harmless bites before lowering her head submissively and rolling onto her back, pawing at Gabriel's massive hand when he reached to scratch her belly. A sharp tsk-tsk from downstairs made her leap up and she barrelled through the cracked bedroom door and down the steps, her excited scrambling echoing through the Harris' home. Gabriel sniffed, catching whiffs of fresh meat from the kitchen.

He stood, surveying Rin's cozy room, her taste simple but like everything else, she'd managed to transform it into a place of beauty. A wooden dresser and a desk took up what little space was left, paper books and her sketches of plants neatly organized. But is was the pictures that got his attention. Dozens of frames, each a different shape and color decorated the walls. If he squinted, he could just make out who was in each of them. He searched them, finally resting a particular favorite of his that he hadn't seen in years. It was a close up of them when they'd been young. They'd been going through their sign language lessons together when his mother had stopped them to take a quick picture. Rin had wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed the side of her forehead against his, a faint smile on her lips. His mother had managed to capture his stunned expression at the hug. It was one of the few pictures where he wasn't either glowering or had his mask on.

He noticed his clothes had been laid over her desk chair and he picked them up, smelling them, surprised to find them clean. Slipping them on, he pried Rin's door open, sniffing to make sure her father wasn't awake. While the man might be grateful that he'd defended her from the Young brothers, Gabriel wasn't exactly the person a parent would expect or want to see walking out of their daughter's bedroom.

He paused at the top of the stone steps, rubbing his neck as he tried to think of what to say to Rin. They'd barely had a chance to talk last night. She'd said 'I love you' and he'd keeled over as if Cupid had shot him with a sniper round. Embarrassment filled him as he recalled how dramatic he'd been. _Easy to say now that you're not burning up from the inside out_, he reminded himself as he carefully made his way down the narrow steps. Only a few glittering veins remained on his arms, his lust sated. But for how long his head would remain clear was the question. Already he could feel the rut begin to stir, his needs distracting him from trying to figure out what to say to Rin.

Gabriel followed the sound and smell of sizzling of meat, hanging back out of sight and listening as Rin banged around the kitchen, oblivious to the noise she was creating. Quietly, he slipped out of hiding, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, content to watch her from afar. The black furball was surprisingly still, sitting and watching her mistress cook, occasionally pawing at Rin's' leg for a scrap.

Rin flinched when she finally noticed him, letting out a puff of exasperation and shaking her head, unable to hide her smile as she turned back to the stove. He moved beside her, his mouth watering as he breathed in the scent of barely cooked zarok. He was starving and his stomach grumbled loudly in agreement. She playfully pushed him away as he tried to sneak a pinch of pink flesh, whisking the sizzling cut to the table.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around her once she'd set it down, nuzzling the back of her head and neck. He laid his left hand across his right wrist, gently raising his right palm up. Good morning. She wriggled around until they face-to-face, bringing her right hand from her mouth down and back up slightly. _Morning._

_How long have you been up?_ he asked, pulling back so she had room to speak.

_A little while. I'm a morning person._ She smiled.

Gabriel made a face, earning him a stuck-out tongue.

He glanced around, noticing there were only two plates set. _Where's your father?_

Rin grinned. _My dad and his friends were so drunk, he broke out his secret stash of good scotch. He won't be awake for awhile._ Then she brought her fingers to her mouth, tapping her lips several times. Eat, she ordered, gesturing towards his breakfast.

He tore into it, his claws easily tearing off thick, juicy hunks and swallowing them whole. It was perfect. Lightly fried but still bleeding. I could eat this every morning. Way better than dried jerky.

Rin smiled as she sucked on several pieces of marango, a tasty fruit native to Navarra that looked and tasted like a cross between an orange and a mango. They were becoming quite popular in the surrounding sectors and there were plans to set up larger groves in the northwest part of the territory.

As the meat settled in his stomach, he sat back, his stares making Rin pause. She raised an eyebrow. _What?_

_I don't deserve you._

She shrugged and popped the reddish-orange fruit into her mouth. _Too bad. You're stuck with me._

_Seriously, Rin. Why didn't you just leave? I could've hurt you._

She shook her head. _No, you wouldn't have._

_Weren't you scared at all?_

_Yes, for a moment. Especially after you took off your jacket. You were glowing and steam was coming off of you._ In fact, he'd been terrifying, the Gabriel she knew replaced with an alien monster. Rin recalled his golden eyes glinting silver like a cat's in the moonlight and the fear that had filled her because they'd reminded her of Korwin's hate-filled orbs. But when he'd explained, when he'd begged her to leave him, when he'd done everything in his power not to touch her, she'd decided to take a risk and gamble it all. When she'd woken up, she'd been surprised at how content she was compared to all those times she'd woken up next to Tyrik or alone, filled with regret or confusion. _I thought about going. But when I said 'I love you', I meant it._

Warmth filled his chest. He didn't see any hesitation in her movements or expression. She'd made her choice. And she'd chosen him.

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck as he recalled the night before. _Sorry about your clothes. Did any of them survive? _Ajolt of horror pierced his gut. _I didn't scratch you did I?!_

Rin shook her head. _I'm okay. Although I can't say the same for my outfit... those were Nova's clothes. _She popped another pece of fruit in mouth and then scooted her chair around the table so she could be closer. _Now, I have some questions for you,_ she signed.

Uh-oh. Gabriel braced himself.

_How long have you liked me and why didn't you ever tell me?_

_A long time. Since we were about 10. You remember when we played Sleeping Beauty?_

She nodded.

_Well, when I kissed you, that's when I sorta fell in love. It only got worse after that. But I was too afraid. I hated myself... you remember how I was as a teenager. Always moody and disappearing. And then you started dating Tyrik and_ - I almost killed myself, he thought to himself - _I guess I started trying to convince myself that we were better off as friends. I didn't want to lose you. So I tried to distance myself, but it only made me miss you more. And then the rut came and I couldn't stay away. That's why I ran out of the bar the last time I saw you._

_I'm sorry._

_What? Why?_

_For not noticing. It feels so obvious now. I don't know why I didn't see you - us - until a couple of weeks ago._

_You shouldn't be sorry. _He growled, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. His reluctance was on him and him alone.

_Well, you should thank Nova next time you see her._

He cocked his head.

_She's the one who pointed out that you liked me._

His eyes narrowed. _Wait, she knows you're here with me?_

_I told her I was going to tell you how I felt. She might be a little worried that I didn't come back..._

Great. The sheriff's daughter knew.

Rin winced when she stood to take his plate.

_What's wrong?_

She took the dishes to the sink and ran some water over them before answering._ I'm just sore from last night._ Really sore, actually, but Gabriel didn't need to know that. He'd been rough, dominating and - her cheeks began glow - huge. _I'll be fine. _She did her best not to limp back to the table, gritting her teeth to keep from wincing as she'd sat. Thankfully, Gabriel had accepted her reply. He even seemed pleased with himself.

Rin's puppy, who'd been ignored long enough, began growling and tugging on Gabriel's pants. He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and plopped her into his lap, rubbing her belly.

_I named her Shadow._

Gabriel clicked in surprise. _I thought you'd name her after a flower._

_I have plenty of flowers. Besides, she eats them._

The puppy squirmed upright, placing its paws on his shoulder to lick his face. Shadow's tail happily thumped the table until Gabriel set her on the floor.

_Is your rut gone?_

He shook his head. _Still a week or two to go._ Rin was close now, barely an arm's length away. Her loose t-shirt teased him with glimpses of her cleavage. Now that he'd seen her naked it was like he had x-ray vision.

She noticed him staring and glanced down, instinctively covering her chest with her arms. Gabriel pulled her into his lap, hugging her against him. She was cold and he rubbed her smooth legs to warm them up. They sat like that for a while, Gabriel ignoring his baser urge to lay her over the table and take her like he had last night. Now was not the right time and he was patient. There would be other moments. Right now, he was truly happy and he wasn't going to mess that up. The dual clock chimed and Gabriel looked up to see that it was late afternoon on Earth and nearing dawn on Navarra. He gently helped Rin off his lap, telling her had to go._ But before I go, let me see your data pad._

Brow furrowed, she left the room, returning with the device in hand. Gabriel didn't bother using the tiny stylus, using his foreclaw to find the contact list. He added his comm number, Rin happily kissing him on the cheek. _I love you._

He pulled her head down and brushed his mandibles over her forehead._ I love you too._

**~\'/~**

Rin followed him outside, Shadow weaving between their legs. Despite Gabriel's assurances that the lonma were used to dogs and wouldn't try to eat her pet, she picked up her curious puppy. As expected, Rasha was nowhere in sight. He put his right forefinger and thumb into his mouth and blew, his short, sharp whistle echoing between the buttes. A few minutes later, she came galloping up the hill, a large, half-eaten rodent hanging from her jaws. Cucumber whined, but Rasha ignored his hungry pleas, enjoying her kill on her own. Gabriel rumbled, chiding her for her selfish behavior when she finally let him grab her saddle. When she was settled and he'd adjusted her straps, he tied her to Cucumber.

He turned around and crouched for one last goodbye. Puppy still in hand, Rin wrapped an arm around his neck, burying her face in his tendrils.

Gabriel left her standing at the edge of the woods, her and Shadow's bodies brightly glowing against the dark hillside. He grabbed the meat and furs left at the stables and then made for the Ferguson's. He felt exhilarated and forlorn at the same time. Rin loved him. And he missed her already. Gabriel was already planning out what days he could afford to return to town.

Ixion rose over the cool plains by the time he arrived at the Ferguson's ranch, bathing the butte and violet grass in crimson rays of light. He sent Rin a message, chuckling when she instantly replied.

He gave the lonma a thorough wash down and extra food, going through the list of chores left over by Marianna and Isaak with gusto.

The sun was high in the sky and Gabriel was covered with green engine fluid when Sheriff Brady's craft landed. The noise attracted Naomi and Luke, who'd been working in the large family garden nearby. Isaak was still inside, nursing a hangover.

Gabriel slid out from beneath the machine, wiping his hands and arms as he stood. As Brady strode down the ramp from his ship, Gabriel didn't need to smell him to know that something was wrong. His eyes were narrowed and mouth set in a grim line. The sheriff nodded to Luke and Naomi as he approached Gabriel. "Gabriel, I need you to come with me."

"Why?"

Sheriff Brady glanced over at the boy and his mother, the pair anxiously watching their conversation. "I'll tell you when we get to Eladoro." He lowered his voice. "It's best if you come willingly."

Anxiety tightened Gabriel's chest and he cleaned his hands as best he could, assuring Ms. Ferguson he'd be back as soon as possible. He climbed into the small hovercraft, the cramped passenger area sealed off from the cockpit by bulletproof glass. A terrible sense of foreboding filled him as the craft began to accelerate and he recalled Rin's comment about Nova knowing about their secret affection for each other. Had Brady found out? What would they do to him if they knew?


	10. Little Lies

**Author's Note:** So life and school have consumed my beta reader, which means for this chapter… you get to be my beta readers! Yaaay!

Also, I'm surprised no one's PM'ed me for the smut yet. I mean, smutty stories on here get what, a _gajillion_ reviews? Either you are all in awe of my exquisite prose or are above such decadent curiosity. (I prefer to believe the former ;)

But enough about boring romance! *Throws papers into the air* Time for some action!

* * *

**Little Lies**

* * *

Sheriff Brady led him into an interview room, the smooth, orange walls bereft of any decoration except for a one-way window cut into the thick stone. Gabriel wondered if they knew that he could see the faint glow of Deputy Leandro on the other side as he settled into the cold, metal chair across from the sheriff. Brady groaned as he sat down, his hot mug of coffee clinking as he set it on the metal table bolted to the floor. He flipped through files on his data pad and asked if Gabriel wanted anything. Gabriel shook his head, his stomach twisting in knots at the thought of food. After a few moments, Brady set the device down and pushed his coffee to the side. He rubbed his stubbled chin, his tired eyes scrutinizing Gabriel. "Do you know why you're here?"

Gabriel shook his head again.

"Okay," he leaned forward, setting his arms on the table. "I'm going to ask you a few questions and I need you to tell me the truth. Do you understand?"

Hearts racing, Gabriel nodded.

"What time did you arrive in Eladoro yesterday?"

He cleared his throat. "Sundown."

"And what did you do?"

"Saw Luke, gave some meat to Ephrim to sell, ran into Jeremy and then arm wrestled." The words slowly tumbled out in a low, gurgling rasp. He wondered if Brady even understood half of what he said. Not many people did.

"I heard you lost to Quinn. I was kinda surprised," he said as he took another sip of his coffee. The cup glowed bright yellow in his orange hand, red curls of steam rising from within. Gabriel suddenly regretted not taking him up on his offer for drink or food. Coffee suddenly sounded great.

"He got lucky."

Brady swallowed and chuckled. "I see. So then what happened?"

"I left."

"I'm told you left in quite a hurry. You knocked a man down, I heard."

Gabriel said nothing, his hearts hammering against his ribs. Did they know about Rin and him? Why were they interrogating him?

From behind the window, Leandro quietly patched into the comm bead inserted into Sheriff Brady's ear. "Monitors say he's getting nervous. You sure you don't want him in restraints?" A quick scratch on the nose told him no. Leandro crossed his arms, monitoring Gabriel for any signs of aggression.

"Did you speak to anyone or see anyone else before you left?"

"Jeremy... Rin and Nova."

"Rin Harris?"

Gabriel nodded.

"_Big spike, sheriff,"_ said Leandro.

"Did she say anything to you before you left?"

Gabriel rumbled. "You haven't told me what's going on. Why am I here?" He tried to deflect the question, but the sheriff simply turned it back around.

"Something serious has happened and we need your help. I need you tell me where you were between 4300 and 0900 last night."

Gabriel's gut clenched and he felt his his felt his skull begin to pound as hot blood raced through his core. "I went home."

"_He's lying,"_ said Leandro.

"You're lying, Gabriel."

"I'm not lying."

"Do you have anything that can prove you were at the Ferguson's ranch last night?"

Gabriel sat back and crossed his arms.

"Gabriel?"

He looked away, anger and fear churning his stomach.

"Did you murder Korwin and John Young?"

Gabriel's head snapped up. "What?!"

"I asked, did you murder Korwin and John?"

Relief and outrage filled him. It wasn't about him and Rin. But they thought he may have killed two people. And he didn't have an alibi. "No."

"Dallas says he saw you do it."

Anger surged through him. "He's lying," he growled.

Sheriff Brady sighed. "I want to believe that, Gabriel. I really do. But here's the problem: you're the only one unaccounted for last night, you don't have an alibi, you had motive and you're lying."

"Just because we fought a few times times doesn't mean I wanted them dead." He'd backed himself into a corner. The only way out was the truth.

"So the fact that Korwin tried to rape Rin and shot Jeremy had nothing to do with you riding off last night?"

Leandro watched Gabriel's blood pressure skyrocket and he bolted for the interview room, slamming his shoulder into the door, pistol drawn.

Gabriel jumped to his feet. "What the fuck did Korwin do to Rin?!" he roared.

"Sit down!" ordered Leandro.

Gabriel noticed the gun clenched in the deputy's hand, but he didn't care. Korwin had tried to hurt Rin and kill Jeremy. "Answer me!"

"Gabriel, do as he says," said Brady, anxiety etching sharp lines in his tired face. He held his hands up, trying to get Gabriel to calm down. "I'll explain everything, just sit down. All we're looking for his the truth, okay?"

"Sit down, Gabriel, now!" Deputy Amaro was at the door, gun drawn as well.

The heavy musk of aggression and the bitter stench of fear burned Gabriel's already sore throat and set his skin on fire. Through the red veil of rage he focused on Brady's calm voice and slowly sat back down. Leandro holstered his pistol and handcuffed his wrists together behind the chair, tightening them until the cold metal rings bit into his skin

"I think everyone needs a moment to cool off." The sheriff's metal chair groaned as he pushed back from the table and he gestured for his deputies to follow him outside.

"Wait."

The trio paused.

"I have an alibi."

Brady motioned for the other two to stay outside and returned to his seat. "I'm listening."

Gabriel couldn't look him in the eyes. "When I left Eladoro... Rin took Cucumber and rode after me. She said she wanted to talk, so we went to her house."

Sheriff Brady frowned. If that were true, then Nova had lied to him about Rin's whereabouts. "How long were you there?"

Gabriel let out a long, shuddering breath. "All night."

Brady sighed, rubbing his eyes with his forefingers and thumb before sitting back and crossing his arms. "Why the hell didn't you say so in the first place?"

Gabriel said nothing, unable to hold the sheriff's sharp gaze.

"You know you can trust me, right? I know there are some people who walk around this town with their heads up their ass, but you don't need to worry about them." He sighed again, relieved that Gabriel might be innocent and worried that the real killer was still out there, among them. One of their own. "I'm going to send Amaro to talk to Rin to confirm your story."

"What happened?" Gabriel lifted his head, the motion straining his wrists.

"Hmm?"

"To Rin and Jeremy?"

The sheriff's gaze softened. "Nobody told you what happened?"

"Jeremy said his lonma threw him off and he fractured his arm."

Brady grunted. So many harmless lies snowballing into one screwed up morning. "And Nova and Rin? What did they say?"

He shook his head, his throat stinging as he spoke. "Nothing."

"Well, I'm sorry you had to find out this way." The sheriff leaned back in his chair, trying to think of where to start. "Several days ago, Korwin bought some drugs off a crewman from one of the trade ships, a red powder known throughout the sector as Sangre del Diablo."

Gabriel stiffened. He'd heard of the drug. And the horror stories that went with it. In the wrong doses, it turned ordinary men into mindless monsters and paranoid killers, capable of anything their deranged mind could fathom.

"It's potent stuff and we think he'd just taken a hit when he ran into Rin on her way back from Ephrim's store. The Young brothers had been having problems finding work after the incident at the bar. When he saw Rin, he got angry, blamed her for their misfortune and dragged her into woods by the south bridge."

Gabriel dug his claws into the palm of his hands as anger and sorrow filled him. Why hadn't anyone told him? Why hadn't _Rin_ told him?

"Luckily, because a crew member got into a bar fight the night before, a ship was delayed from taking off that morning because the captain had to bail the guy out. Jeremy decided to drop off a last minute package to send to his relatives and was on his way back from the hangar when he noticed Rin's dog laying injured on the side of the road - Korwin had kicked the poor thing." Brady shook his head. "As soon as Jeremy saw it and noticed the drag marks leading into the woods, he went to investigate. He found them and fought Korwin off before he could do any real damage, but Korwin managed to pull his gun first. Your friend shielded Rin and took a bullet. Korwin's gun jammed after the first shot, thank God, or I might be telling a different story."

Gabriel clenched his shaking hands. Jeremy had saved Rin's life. He'd never, _ever_ be able to repay that debt. Not in a hundred years.

"After that, Korwin disappeared. Apparently, John was sneaking his brother some supplies. Dallas followed him even though he wasn't supposed to and that's when he swears he saw you kill them with a spear or a sword or something."

"You don't believe him, do you?" asked Gabriel.

Brady stood. "We'll know soon enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a word with my daughter-"

Leandro burst into the room. "We've got a problem!"

Brady frowned. "What happened?"

"An unauthorized ship just docked. Two suits are heading this way and seem real keen on the two murders."

"What?! Stall them."

"No time. They're headed this way, right now."

Brady ran his hands through his hair. "Shit."

Gabriel tugged at his cuffs.

"You stay put, Gabriel," barked the sheriff as he followed Leandro out. "You're still a suspect." The lock snapped shut with a resounding _thoom_. He was trapped. And the outsiders were head straight for him.

**~\'/~**

_Earlier that night..._

John leapt into the dry gully, quietly landing with a soft thud. He shifted the pack over his shoulder and headed up the dusty path towards a small cluster of boulders and dead trees. Shielded by thickets, weeds and anything else hardy enough to survive at the edge of the desert, the dry pond bed was the perfect hiding place.

John slipped under a fallen log and came face-to-face with the end of pistol. Korwin lowered his gun, letting loose a shaky breath. "Christ, John, you could've at least whistled or something."

John didn't say a word, shoving the pack against his brother's chest and stalking past him. He crouched by the small fire, warming his hands. Korwin glared at him, a vile retort tickling the edge of his tongue. He swallowed it, shoving his pistol in the back of his pants. His stomach gurgled in pain as he rifled through the bag. He hadn't eaten in over a day.

"How long are we going to keep doing this?"

Korwin swallowed the hunk of bread in his mouth. "What?"

"I said how long do you think I can sneak food out here before someone notices?" His steel grey eyes locked onto his brother.

"I don't know what you want me to do-"

"How 'bout turn yourself in? Because we both know that eventually they're going to find you, either through me or some other way. You ever thought about what might happen if they find out I'm helping you? That I knew where you were but didn't say anything? We'd both go to jail and then Dallas has nobody. Is that what you want?"

Krowin scowled. "Don't you bring Dallas into this. Don't you fucking go there."

"Well what is it going to take for you to wake up and realize what the hell is going on, Korwin? Because I can't keep doing this."

Korwin growled and began to pace. Neither spoke for long moments, John giving his brother time to think. Korwin stopped, hands on his hips. He started chuckling, a sardonic rumble tinged with despair. "I really screwed up, didn't I?" He spat. "Fucking dealer. He lied to me, John. Told me it was stardust and that it would mellow me out... bastard."

John didn't reply. They'd already gone over this a few days ago. Korwin wanted to blame the dealer, but John knew nobody would care. Shouldn't have bought from him in the first place, they'd say.

"You remember what we said, when we were kids? We said we'd never be like dad. We swore it... remember? And then we turned out just like him. At least me, anyway. How fucked up is that?"

"You took most of the hits, Korwin. And then some."

"Doesn't matter. I promised Dallas I'd always be there. Now I'm going to jail. I'm leaving him. Abandoning him, just like dad. Doesn't matter if we're still on the same planet."

"He's worried about you."

Korwin sighed and rubbed his face. "Christ..." He noticed John's disapproving grimace and snorted. "Right, sorry. I forgot that you found religion."

"Brother John's a good man. He's been helping us the last few days."

"We don't need anyone's help," Korwin growled.

John looked down and just shook his head.

The sharp crack of twigs made him leap to feet and Korwin whipped out his gun. John fingered his long knife, cursing himself for staring into the flames too long. His night vision was ruined. A shadow crouched at the base of the entrance. "Who's there?" he called, motioning for his older brother to stay out of sight.

"It's me."

John's stomach sunk. _Dallas._

"Is that Dallas?" Korwin whispered.

John clenched his fists and strode forward. Dallas may be an adult but he still acted like a child. John and Korwin had protected him from the abuse, covered for him when managers thought he wasn't doing his job and gave him the things they'd never had. When he was happy, they were happy. But Dallas' attitude of late made him doubt whether they'd done the right thing by being lenient. The incident at the bar had been an eye opener and he'd finally had to acknowledge how messed up the three of them were. He opened his mouth, preparing to chastise his little brother.

Pain punched through his gut, the words dying in his throat as it filled with blood. John's eyes widened and he looked down to see two evenly spaced holes puncturing his stomach. Something cold and solid pierced his abdomen but there was nothing there. A familiar clicking noise filled his ears. _Gabriel?_

Organs shredded as the blades tore free and he cried out in pain as he fell to his knees.

The thunder of gunfire erupted as Korwin began to unload his pistol, shouting obscenities. Dallas was screaming.

John looked up, clutching his stomach and gasping for air as blood swelled up from his stomach and clogged his throat. One of the shots hit something, bright, luminescent blood spraying into the air. The invisibility cloak disintegrated, revealing a monster. It was Gabriel. And it was not. Gabriel didn't wear black armor or bleached skulls. He didn't wield a spear or wear a serrated mask.

The thing went after Korwin, his brother's screaming as he tried to run away. He'd run out of bullets. Dallas was suddenly in front of John, crying and begging him to get up.

"Dallas... run. Run Dallas." John pushed him away, gathering all his strength to stand.

"No! I'm not leaving you!"

John grabbed him by his shirt, his grey eyes boring into his brother's. "Do as I say! _Run._" He shoved him towards the exit and turned away, not bothering to see if he'd listen. He had to stall the monster. He had to save Dallas. John pulled out his knife, watching as the creature ripped Korwin's spine and skull from his body. John's gut clenched in agony at the sight of his mangled brother's body and he threw up blood. The monster finally noticed him. His knife trembled in his hand. It was all he could do to stay upright.

A silent prayer managed to escape his bloody lips before the creature lunged.

**~\'/~**

Dallas froze as the crunching sound of flesh and bone being ripped apart pierced the cold, night air. A howling roar followed, echoing through the gully and he bolted for the hovercycle, scrambling up the dirt bank. Thorns lashed his clothes and skin, but he didn't care.

Gabriel had killed John and Korwin.

Tears streamed down his face as he fumbled for the key in his pocket.

He'd killed his brothers.

The hovercycle hummed to life and he shot across the valley, heading straight for Eladoro as the first blush of dawn tinted the sky.

**~\'/~**

The warrior stepped silently from the shadow of the trees, calmly watching the creature flee across the dry plains. Finding the three creatures out here, alone, had been a stroke of good fortune. And now the trap was now set. His prey would come to him, eager for his blood. He ran a claw over the top of one of the bloody skulls strapped to his belt, rumbling in anticipation before slipping back into the darkness.

**~\'/~**

"They don't look happy to see us," said Lyra as the open-hatched vehicle pulled up to the sheriff's office. People stared from doorways and paused in the street, the small bustling town falling quiet as the two agents exited from the small car. Sung paid the driver and he took off, wheeling around and spitting dirt as he headed back to the hangar. Their driver hadn't said a word the whole trip and the awkward silence followed them from the vehicle and into the street. Sung's eyes narrowed behind his black sunglasses. The quiet set him on edge.

"So much for being hospitable and laidback," muttered Lyra, referring to the brochure she'd downloaded on their flight over.

"Chau did say they don't like unannounced guests," he replied, looking up as the sheriff and one of his deputies emerged from the towering butte at the center of the settlement. Both looked haggard and angry. With the new year's festival and a double homicide, he bet they hadn't slept in almost two Terran days. They exchanged formalities and headed inside, Sung keenly aware that dozens of eyes were watching their every move.

When the door sealed shut the sheriff didn't waste time, instantly dropping the cordial mask he'd put on for the townspeople. "What do you want?"

"We're investigating a serial killer. We think the two murders from last night are linked to a dozen other murders over the past few weeks."

That got their attention, but the sheriff wasn't fazed. "We've heard about them. But there are protocols for requesting permission to enter Eladoro. If you've been on Navarra for a few weeks, then you've had plenty of time to fill out the necessary forms."

"A lot of good that would do us, considering most get rejected or rescheduled," said Sung, tucking his sunglasses inside his jacket.

Lyra stepped in, always the peacemaker. "We're sorry for the intrusion, but our orders give us clearance to do whatever we can to assist local officials in the capture and/or execution of the killer."

"Does the board know you're here?"

"Nebular Enterprises requested us," said Sung, locking eyes with the stern man for a moment.

Sheriff Brady sharp gaze remained unmoved. Titles and companies didn't seem to impress him as much as the other people they'd met on this world. "Deputy Torres." The younger man straightened beside him. "Call Markus. Tell him he needs to come to town now. Then get the Santillos."

"Markus?" asked Lyra, puzzled that they would call in a rancher. Sung was curious too.

"He's the mayor."

The two agents gave each other a bemused look. Mayor?

"It's not official. Technically, Bahari Wandu is still the mayor but he left years ago." He tapped in a security code and the door hissed open. "But I'm sure the politics of an outpost settlement aren't of interest." He gestured for them to follow. "You're here for our first homicides."

Sung pulled in a chair from another office and sat beside Lyra, Brady taking his seat when everyone was settled. They began negotiating access to the bodies, requesting files, details, witnesses. The usual. The sheriff had to excuse himself for another cup of coffee, allowing Lyra and Sung a brief moment to share their thoughts.

"So, what do you think?" asked Lyra as they scanned the case notes.

"This sounds exactly like the other murders."

"No, I mean about Eladoro. About the people."

Sung lifted his head and thought for a moment. "They don't seem to follow the conventional rules like Tau Sigma or Derrigan."

"I was thinking the same thing. There's a clear disregard for outside authority. But why? I've been to remote worlds before and I've never encountered this level of hostility."

"Fear."

"What?"

"The word you're looking for is 'fear.' They're afraid of something and their covering it up with excuses about paperwork and bullshit. They'll probably try to stall us, take us where they want us to go and only to those people they want us to see."

Lyra gave him a wry smile. "Since when did you become the psychology expert?"

"I learned from the best," he said, giving her soft smile.

"Do you think it's connected to the murders? I just have this gut feeling that something's wrong."

Sung frowned. "I thought you were an intellectual?"

"Yeah, but sometimes I get these feelings... like my subconscious is picking up on something I've overlooked."

Sung's reply faded when the sheriff returned. As soon as he sat down Lyra pounced. "Sir, I have to be honest with you about something."

Brady raised an eyebrow. "Sure."

"When we asked if there were any witnesses... you lied to us."

Sung tried to hide his surprise. Had she really seen that? Or was she bluffing?

The sheriff's surprise quickly soured. "I can assure you Ms. Andrews, that John and Korwin were alone."

"I'd like to speak with the surviving brother."

"No."

Lyra was taken aback.

"He's in no condition to talk to anyone. They were the only family he had left since his mother died years ago and his father left." He rose, Deputy Torres and another officer stepping into the room. "Deputy Torres and Ramirez will take you to the murder scene and then the coroner." Before they could even protest, the sheriff was out the door.

Lyra was simmering as the two agents followed the deputies out and Sung's usually cool attitude was starting to crack. He didn't like pulling rank but they weren't getting anywhere with these people. "Lyra?"

"Yeah?"

"You remember that mission on Tesla?"

"Yeah."

Neither deputy was prepared for the lightning assault. Sung bashed his elbow into Amaro's nose, blood spurting as bone cracked. Leandro gurgled and crumpled to the ground in pain as Lyra stabbed him in the side with her taser. Within seconds, both were subdued and in cuffs. Sung dragged them into a storage room and shut the door.

"What now?" he huffed, unholstering his pistol.

"I caught a glimpse of the sheriff heading in the opposite direction."

"Lead the way."

The pair quickly headed back the way they'd come, past the sheriff's office and down the stone hall. A blue sign with white lettering indicated they'd arrived at the cell area. Sung pulled out the key card he'd found on Leandro and swiped it along the access panel. The door buzzed as it unlocked and the pair quickly filed inside.

"I told you I won't eat until you arrest him!"

The agents paused just a few meters away from where the sheriff was trying to offer food to an inmate. Both instantly recognized the young man from the case files. Dallas Young.

Brady spun, shock and outrage flushing his face. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Who are they?"

"Not now, Dallas!"

"Why did you lie to us?" asked Lyra, her hand resting on her holstered pistol.

Dallas slammed against the jail bars, spittle flying as he shouted. "He's covering for that murderer! I saw him, I saw that alien sonuvabitch kill my brothers!"

Dallas' hysterical shouts sucked the air from the room and the sheriff went slightly pale.

"What did he say?" whispered Sung.

"Nothing. He's hysterical-"

Sung aimed his gun at Brady and both he and Dallas went silent, the young man backing away from the metal bars. "You tell me _everything_. Right now."

"What happened to Leandro and Amaro?"

"They're fine," said Lyra, her anxiety growing with each second that passed. Sung's finger was on the trigger.

Brady ran a hand through his short cropped hair. "Okay, alright, I... we were going to try and explain everything once everyone was here, but..."

Brady ignored Dallas' shouts to be let out and gestured for the agents to follow. He led them to the interview chamber, the azure door sealed shut and bolted. He paused before he unlocked it and turned to face the two agents. "I can't let you in until you put your gun away."

"Sorry, not happening."

"The suspect is handcuffed. You don't have to worry."

"Sung."

He looked at his partner, her brows knitted together with concern. Lyra's anxiety brought him back to reality. He needed to be calm. Besides, he realized with bitter disappointment, the thing they were after wouldn't submit to an arrest. His anger vanished, replaced by a grim despair. He thought he'd heard the kid say 'alien'. He'd thought he'd had the bastard.

"This is going to be a little shocking," said Brady as he unlocked the door. "We've never..."

The rest of the words were lost in a white noise of rage as Sung saw the creature sitting on the other side of the metal table. His vision turned red and shouts filled the air. Somewhere in the distance, a gun went off.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Almost forgot! Many thanks to Eternalis (very cool name), AAEdmonds, mmendoza688 and WraithLord24 (for the Emperor!) for following, favoriting and reviewing.


	11. Two of a Kind

**Author's Note: **Thanks to syver'ti, George, Nubitr0n and Creator of Hybrids for the follows and reviews! Only two more chapters to go after this.

**To George:** You should PM me your email address for the smut, just be sure to break it up with a space in the middle because fanfic hides emails for some reason in messages.

* * *

**Two of a Kind**

* * *

Sheriff Brady wrenched Sung's arm aside, slamming it into the door frame. "Drop the gun!"

Sung snarled and swung, his left fist connecting with Brady's jaw. The sheriff grimaced but didn't budge, grabbing the agent by his shirt and shoving him against the far wall. Sung twisted the pistol in his hand until the barrel was aiming at Brady's head, his thumb on the trigger.

Suddenly, the gun went flying, clattering down the orange hallway. Before either man could react, Lyra grabbed Brady, kneed him in the stomach and flipped him to the floor.

Sung nearly spat on the man. "Thanks Ly-"

A right hook caught him in the jaw, stars bursting across his vision. Lightning jabs paralyzed him with pain and she twisted his arm, shoving him to the ground. The sound of handcuffs snapping around his wrists jolted him and he futilely struggled. "Lyra! Lyra, what are you doing?! That thing is in there!"

Agent Andrews stared down at him, her misty eyes filled with anger. "Shut up, Sung."

He stilled, twisting on his side to look up at her. "Lyra..." He glanced over at the alien in the other room. The thing had ducked the shot, falling out the bolted chair and onto the floor. They locked eyes and Sung felt a surge of loathing fill him.

Brady remained on the floor, groaning. "Oh God, my back."

"You'll be fine," said Lyra as she stepped over him and calmly entered the interrogation room.

Gabriel struggled to his feet and backed away from the woman, tensing as he braced himself for another shot. But nothing happened. She just stood there, her large, human eyes staring at him with... awe? His hackles rose and he instinctively averted his gaze. He could tolerate most peoples' stares because he knew them. But this was a stranger. An outsider. And they'd come for him, hadn't they? He growled a warning and, for a moment, fear flickered across her eyes, but she didn't move.

Brady groaned as he pulled himself up and leaned against the doorframe. "Thanks... I guess."

She didn't take her eyes off of Gabriel. "Anytime. My partner... let's just say he has some unresolved personal issues. If I'd known what was behind the door, I wouldn't have let you open it."

"Noted." Brady straightened, wincing as he rubbed his stomach. "Oh, by the way, you shouldn't stare into his eyes. He's like a cat. Makes him uncomfortable."

Lyra dropped her gaze. "Sorry." Her partner called for her and she excused herself.

Gabriel watched them, half-listening to the sheriff mutter as he adjusted the cuffs. He could hear them, just barely, as they whispered to each other.

"Sung, I don't think he's the one we're looking for. I don't think the killer wears boots or cargo pants."

Gabriel averted his gaze when the male agent looked over at him. He could still smell the aggression and fear wafting from him.

"How can we be sure? That boy in the cell said he saw him do it. Lyra, he's... he's one of _them_."

Gabriel's breath caught. One of them. They knew what he was. They were looking for him. Or something like him.

"The one we're looking for would never let himself be arrested. Or look away in fear. The way the sheriff interacted with him... it's as if he's known the alien for years," said the woman.

At that moment, panicked shouts burst from the main room down the hall. "Sheriff?! Sheriff Brady?!"

Brady pressed a hand against Gabriel's chest when he stepped forward. "Stay here."

Gabriel growled but did as he was told, watching Brady stride out out the door to intercept his mother. He could hear her running. "Gabriel?!"

The sheriff caught her. "Woah, Maira! Slow down. Everything's okay."

"Juaqin and I heard that outsiders came to the jail and that Gabriel had been arrested. We found blood in the main office area and I was afraid something had happened." Her frantic eyes locked onto the agents, her panicked expression morphing into anger. _"What did you do to my son?"_

Brady held her back as she tried to surge forward. "Easy Maira! Gabriel's fine. Those two were in shock for a moment but they're aren't gonna try anything."

Maira tore her arms from his grasp and stepped back. "They saw him? You let them see him?!"

"Maira, I had no choice-"

"I don't want to hear another word until I see my son! I don't know why he's even in here!" she shouted, marching past an exasperated Brady.

The agents watched her whisk into the interrogation room and bear hug the seven-foot tall alien. "Did she say... 'son'?" asked Lyra. They both looked up at the sheriff as he drew near, crossing his arms as he watched Maira fuss over Gabriel.

"It's a long story... about 25 years ago, an alien ship crashed near Eladoro. Gabriel's father was killed the same way the Young brothers were -skull ripped off- and his mother was stabbed. The Santillos saved him and adopted him as their own. The town agreed to keep it a secret, hence all the bureaucracy and isolationism. It's nothing personal. We're just looking out for him."

"No wonder he's so docile," murmured Lyra. "I can't believe it."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend..."

Lyra and Brady looked down at Sung. He stared at something only he could see, his face pulled into tight grimace. "Lyra, the killer's been here before. This is his hunting territory. He probably killed Gabriel's parents for trespassing."

Lyra nodded. "Makes sense. That's probably who Dallas saw kill his brothers. Since the only alien he's ever seen is Gabriel, he would've assumed it was him."

"Now wait a doggone minute. Are you saying there's another alien like Gabriel out there? Killing people?"

"Short version? Yes," said Sung.

"Dear God," Brady breathed.

"Sheriff, you need to lock the town down. Nobody in or out. We have to find this thing before it kills again." He turned to Lyra. "Uncuff me."

Brady nodded. "Alright, I'll need to-"

The lights began to flicker and suddenly the entire complex plunged into darkness.

"What the hell?" said Brady.

_Dammit_, thought Sung. _We're too late._

**~\'/~**

He tore off the flimsy metal cover and ripped the glowing wires from their sockets, sparks flying and bouncing off his scarred flesh. The complex darkened and distorted alien shouts echoed throughout the stone passages.

The arbiters had come to the small village, just as he knew they would. But unlike in the other settlements, they were not welcomed. This had not troubled him though. The arbiters were highly respected and always got their way. So he'd waited. Patient. His prey would go to the kill site first. They always did. And there, under the hot sun, he would take their measure. But when his mask had picked up the sound of combat, he'd leapt into action.

This new development was unacceptable. He tossed the dead wires to the ground and headed for the central chamber. He saw now what he must do. The other arbiters could not be allowed to interfere.

**~\'/~**

Gunfire and screams shattered the tense silence.

"Leandro! Amaro!" Brady shouted, sprinting for the main office.

The agents scrambled after. "Sung, we can't fight it! We need to call for backup," shouted Lyra as they ran down the hall, the flashlights' beams flailing wildly down the pitch black hall.

"No time," he replied grimly.

It was utter chaos when they arrived. Leandro was bleeding from a gash across his chest. Dried blood caked Amaro's mouth and shirt, his face cast in a hellish snarl as he fired across the room at an invisible target. A blur of motion bolted across the atrium entrance and everyone unloaded. Bullets roared as they bit into solid rock, dozens of rounds tearing deep gashes into the walls. The white flashes of gunfire washed the room in black and white staccato, the strobe effect disorienting.

Amaro cried out and slammed against the floor, his panicked screams filling the air as he was dragged across the ground. "Something's got me! Something's got my leg!"

Brady and Sung raced after, the sheriff grabbing his deputy's arms while Sung searched for their target. The invisible line went slack, the rope crackling into existence. His skin began to prickle, as if a cold shadow had fallen over him.

"Sung, get out of there! You're all sitting ducks!" Lyra shouted.

He whirled around, fear knifing through him. The killer had dragged Amaro into the large central atrium of the butte. It was a trap.

A solid kick crushed his ribs and sent him flying into the wall. He smacked against the stone and crumpled, paralyzed with pain. The world was a blurry haze of red and shadows. Plasma blasts screamed through air, comets of blinding death that shattered stone and seared flesh. Howls of agony and the stench of burnt skin filled the air.

Sung searched for his gun, the white streaks of plasma seared into his blurred vision. His chest was on fire and every breath sent shards of pain through his lungs. Something cool and metal brushed against his fingertips and he grabbed it, hope flaring inside him as his hands clasped his gun once more.

"Sung! Sung get outta there!"

A crackling sound made him freeze. The air in front of him warped, blue shards of energy dissolving to reveal his worst nightmare. Black lenses stared down at him dispassionately, weighing him, determining his value. Sung snarled, rose to his knees and pulled the trigger.

The barrel clicked, the empty sound sending a sinking wave of terror through him.

Dual wristblades dropped from the creature's arm.

"Lyra, kill it!" he shouted, tossing his gun away and grabbing the knife at this belt. A hopeless gesture. He fumbled for the weapon, the killer's blades bearing down on him with ferocious speed.

A blurred shadow tackled the creature just before it reached him and slammed it into the floor. Roars and thunderous blows filled the black chamber. Lyra was suddenly beside him. "Sung! Sung get up!"

Someone opened the main door and light flooded the atrium, blinding him as she pulled him to his feet. He stumbled into the harsh afternoon sun, the Eladoran officers, Maira and a man he did not recognize quickly following after. The man in the white coat was dragging the auburn haired woman out. "Gabriel!" she screamed, fighting to go back inside. "Gabriel!"

He glanced back inside, the two aliens rolling into the light. The warrior tossed the one called Gabriel to the ground and leapt to his feet, wristblades raised over his head for the killing blow. The creature froze, as if shocked at what it saw at his feet.

It was all that Sung needed. He flipped his long knife so that the blade rested in his hand and threw it.

The blade buried itself into the killer's exposed abdomen with a satisfying squelch. It howled in agony and stumbled back, clutching its stomach as bright, green blood began to pour from the wound.

Sung's triumph quickly morphed into fear as the killer locked eyes on him and charged. Even with a blade sticking out from its abdomen, it was still incredibly fast. The ends of the dual blades grazed him as he ducked, slashing across his face and shoulder.

The creature did not stop, ignoring the screams of terrified townspeople that scattered before him. He tapped his wrist computer, a dull roar filling the air.

Sung watched as a ship materialized out of thin air and landed in the middle of the street, the thrusters kicking up clouds of dust and sand. The killer disappeared and with a concussive boom the ship took off. As soon as the alien ship was out of sight, the pain of his injuries hit him full force and he passed out.

**~\'/~**

The sterile white walls fooled his bleary eyes. For a moment, against all odds, Sung thought he'd made it into paradise. His chuckle morphed into a pained wheeze, alerting the attending physician.

"Welcome back, Agent Lee," said the man.

The man in the white coat, Sung recalled. Glasses, messy black hair and a crooked smile made him think of a university professor. "Did I go somewhere?"

"No, but it's never a good idea to take a nap when you're bleeding internally."

"I'll remember that next time a seven-foot-tall alien kicks me in the chest."

He chuckled. "I'll let your partner know you're awake," he said as he adjusted the machines hooked up to his chest.

Lyra was at his side moments later. Sung took it as a good sign when she didn't slap him. "That was a really stupid thing you did back there."

"Which part? The one where I almost killed the wrong alien or when I was nearly decapitated?"

"The part where you ran after the deputy. You weren't trying to save him. You were going after whatever was at the end of that rope."

"You know, I was actually trying to help the guy. I'm not as completely obsessed with revenge as you might think." A lie, but he'd like to think it was true. "That being said, do we know where the killer went?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. The ship sent a signal that jammed the port's sensors."

"So he could be anywhere." He mentally cursed. The bastard might be gone for good.

"The clean-up team might be able to track him if he's still on world."

Pain lanced across the left side of his face as he jerked his head to look at Lyra. "They're here? Already? That's not possible... unless..." The look on his partner's face confirmed his suspicion. She'd contacted the agency to send in the kill team. "When did you request them?"

She sighed. "Derrigan. Shortly after we arrived."

"You did the right thing."

Her brows shot up in surprise. "What? I thought you'd be furious?"

"This morning? Yeah, I'd've been pissed. But now... now I realized how stupid I was. I went up against it and nearly got killed. Technically, I should be dead."

"We were lucky casualties were minimal."

"Minimal?"

"Deputy Amaro Ramirez is dead. The sheriff took a nasty hit too. The doctors here are still patching him up. Plasma bolt to the side the head and arm. His hand was completely incinerated when he tried to shield himself. Deputy Torres is wounded, but will be acting sheriff until he's on his feet."

Sung sighed. "This is going to be one hell of a report."

"You're telling me," she said with a soft smile. "Anyway, I have to get back to Marcus and the town leaders."

"What do they want?"

"I'm debriefing them on what I can. When I get back they're supposed to explain their... 'unique situation' as one of them put it."

"I'd like to hear that story."

"Unfortunately, you're on bed rest until further notice," she said as she stood. "I'll fill you in later."

"Thanks."

The door quietly hissed shut and Sung closed his eyes. His chest was starting to throb from talking. The pain medication had just started to kick in when the door hissed open. He turned, expecting one of the doctors. Sung froze when he saw who it was, his heart and respiratory monitors flashing orange as adrenaline surged through him. The alien, Gabriel, stared down at him, his golden eyes silently appraising him with a quiet rage. He removed the rebreather, the action eerily similar to his own kind's predisposition for revealing their faces to worthy opponents. His face did not bear the scars or deep ridge lines of aggression that marked others of his kind. His olive green skin was also surprisingly smooth, with only a handful of speckles dotting the rim of his crest. Even so, he was still an alien. A member of a race that brutally murdered Sung's family and millions of other human beings. Despite doctor's orders, he sat up, grunting and gripping the side bars for support. "What do you want?"

"I want to know how to kill him."

Sung felt his jaw drop slightly. "You speak English?" He immediately regretted the cliche. It's not that he thought the race of hunters incapable of attempting human language, but this one's was the best he'd ever heard.

"When I feel like it," he growled.

Sung closed his mouth, his eyes narrowing. "Why? He's your own kind."

A dark rumble rolled up the young alien's throat, his swelling chest muscles pressing the almost too tight fabric. "He's a murderer. I heard you and Lyra talking. That he's killed over a dozen people... including my parents."

"You've got good ears." Sung's heart slowly began to settle. The alien wasn't here to hurt him. He'd saved his life after all. "The former is true. The latter is just speculation. It could've been him, or someone from the same clan. We don't know."

"Does it matter?"

A sardonic smile slid over Sung's face. How many times had he told himself the exact same thing when they'd searched for other hunters. Did it matter what clan they were from or why they killed? In his mind, no. All that matter was that they stop them before they killed again. "No, it doesn't."

"So how do I kill him?"

"Ask the special ops teams."

"I thought that was your job?"

Sung scoffed and laid back down. "No, I'm just a digger. I look for the patterns, find the leads, question people. Once I find out where it's hiding, I step aside and let the kill team do what it does best. But even they don't always succeed." He looked up at Gabriel. "What makes you think you can take him out?"

"I'm stronger, I can see in the dark and I don't have any broken bones."

"That's not enough. You think you're strong? He's stronger. Think you're fast? Guess what, he's faster. And he's fought things a lot bigger and tougher, with the scars to prove it. If you want to take him out, you're going to have to dig deep and outsmart the bastard." Sung chuckled. "Listen to me... doesn't matter how much we want him dead. He's probably long gone by now anyway."

"No."

The young alien's golden eyes burned with a dark secret and Sung slowly sat up. Pain stabbed his chest and he struggled to breathe. "What? You know where he is?" he wheezed.

"Yes."

"You're certain?"

"It's where I would hide if I didn't want to be found."

Sung licked his lips. "Where?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I go alone. No one can know."

"It's risky," murmured Sung. "But not as risky as you staying and hoping he goes away. He's seen you. He'll come back for you. And maybe anyone else who's seen him."

"Exactly."

The pain was too much and Sung fell back against the bed, groaning as bone pinched lungs. Something clicked and he looked up in time to see Gabriel increase his morphine drip.

"Sorry. I can't risk you telling anyone."

"For the record... I wouldn't have... told anyone," Sung's eyes began to droop as a giddy warmth flooded his chest and limbs. _Good luck, kid,_ he thought before he drifted off. _Make sure he pays._


End file.
